Orca Song
by Kellie Fay
Summary: One call for help leads to another, and a trip out to the wilds of Alaska to find out who has grabbed hold of Donatello's mind, and who can help Leonardo with his mermaid issues.
1. Chapter 1

Ocean Song

By Kellie Fay

Disclaimer:

The TMNT belong to someone else not me. I'm not even sure who anymore but I know it's not me.

I've had this one sitting for a while so I could finish my Danny Phantom fic "The Siege." I love marine life (okay I love all animals) and this one has been in my head for quite some time. In order to completely understand this fic you should go back and read "A Turtle's Tail Tale, And the "Shadow Spirit" Where Benten and Dr Thomas were introduced.

**Prologue **

_Help us, help us, you must help us._ He didn't know this place. Darkness swirled all around him. A freezing cold crept up and down his legs, through his shell, and all around him.

_Who are you? Where am I? How can I help you?_ He tried to say, but for some reason he could not use his voice. His limbs flailed wildly through space, but he could not see or make a sound. He could only sense of the movement of huge shapes moving past him.

_Help us, we're dying, help us._

_I can't help you if I don't know who you are. What's going on? Where_ - "Are you?" Donatello sat up abruptly feeling his lower back tighten and cramp in protest. Once again his over tired body decided to use his keyboard as a pillow instead of going into bed.

"I have got to stop doing this to myself," he muttered. He didn't know why he felt so strongly about helping their friend Doctor Robert Thomas with his little side project, but he knew he didn't dare tell any of the others about it yet. Leonardo and Raphael would completely freak out if they knew the source of his research. Splinter nearly did. Michelangelo would probably understand, but he'd never be able to keep the secrete. He rubbed at his eyes trying to get the persistent ache in the back of his skull to go away. Two weeks ago Doctor Thomas approached Donatello with an unusual dilemma.

"Don I need your help," Rob said looking slightly unsettled.

"What with?" Donatello asked helping the veterinarian clean up his examination room. Today Rob helped a family with some of their pet turtles, and he asked Don to come over for some insight, and their usual game of how his mutation had changed his physiology.

"An old friend called me the other day. She's doing some marine research out in Alaska and she has a problem."

Donatello finished tossing out the used gauze. "Alaska?" he asked "Kind of cold up there, but what does this have to do with me?"

Rob sighed. "Apparently a major glacier is melting in her research area, and it's making some of the animals sick." He pulled some photographs from an envelope, and handed them to Donatello. "Here, tell me what you think."

The photographs were of simple single celled organisms that Donatello never saw before. "Those are some really nasty looking prokaryotes," Donatello commented, the feeling in his stomach should have been a warning. "Are they some kind of new bacteria?"

Rob nodded. "The fish don't seem to mind them, but a lot of the larger mammals that live there are getting quite sick."

Donatello had a sinking feeling inside of his shell he knew where Rob intended to take the conversation, but he tried to be wrong. "So I repeat what does this have to do with me?"

"It has to do with a number of small protozoans that live in your bloodstream Don." Rob said with a sigh.

Donatello snapped around now angry. "Rob, you swore! You swore you'd never tell any-"

"Don I didn't!" Rob shot back. "Kristi was one of the Columbia students at the time who did the analysis of the first samples you and Leo gave me when Splinter was sick. She promised me she destroyed all the samples I brought to Columbia when it happened, but-"

Donatello sighed, and let the anger wash out of him. "No scientist worth their salt ever gives up notes even if they're not useful to them at the time."

Rob nodded. "Kristi remembered the serum we worked out, and how aggressive those cytokine cells were at destroying any bacteria that didn't belong in living organisms. She did quite a few tests for me back then, and she never forgets anything."

"You didn't tell her your source did you?" Donatello knew that Rob could be trusted but years of training made him ask anyway.

Robert shook his head a clear negation. "Of course not Don. I told her it was complicated and I might not be able to get her another sample. She still doesn't understand why I didn't want to do more research on them, or why I had her destroy the original sample."

Donatello understood that. If Rob had wanted to he could have gotten some major papers and maybe some research grants for discovering a new bacteria fighting medicine. Heck he himself wanted to do more research on the protozoans in his blood and the cytokines they produced, but there was no way he could ever convince any of his brothers to let him take a blood sample. "Why do I have a feeling this conversation will end up me giving you my arm?" He asked wryly.

Rob tugged nervously on the beaded necklace around his neck. "Don, I just want to see if I can culture the cells, and produce the cytokine in larger quantities. If it doesn't work I'll tell her I can't get any more. I've tried to say no to her before, but she's running out of options, and she's called me three times this month. A lot of animals are going to die if she doesn't come up with a solution."

_Leo is going to kill me if he finds out,_ Donatello thought to himself then hopped up on the clean examination table, and said. "All right, Rob, lets get this over with."

In the end Donatello didn't feel so bad about it. Rob assured him that he wanted Donatello's scientific expertise in addition to wanting Donatello's blood. "Heck," he said saying goodbye to Donatello later, "Maybe you'll come up with something Kristi and I haven't thought of yet and I won't have to use your blood at all."

Donatello smiled. "It would be worth it if it keeps you from sticking needles in me," he teased.

Later Donatello realized it would be worth it if he didn't faint in front of his brothers. Unfortunately he did so soon after getting home. He thought he felt well enough for practice but after taking a quick swing at Raphael he found himself on his knees in the dojo wishing it would stop spinning.

"Whoah Don!" Michelangelo said spinning around to catch him.

"Donnie!" Instantly Leonardo knelt at his side.

"Are you all right?" Michelangelo said.

Donatello shook his head to clear it, but that only made things worse. "I...I was just a little dizzy for a moment."

"Donatello, my son look at me," Splinter commanded.

Still trying to get his equilibrium back Donatello managed to look his sensei in the eye.

Splinter looked at Donatello for a full minute before issuing his next command. "Michelangelo, help your brother to his room, and settle him into his bed."

"Yes Sensei," Michelangelo said. Despite Donatello's protests Michelangelo got him quickly tucked into bed.

"Mikey," Donatello complained, "I'm all right, I just got dizzy for a moment."

"No way Don," Michelangelo answered firmly. He absolutely loved being able to order one of the others around. "You nearly passed out on us. Do you want to tell me why or should I send Sensei in here to find out?"

In the end Donatello did tell Splinter. He scolded Donatello severely for not telling him, and for allowing Doctor Thomas to take the blood sample, but Donatello argued his case, and Splinter couldn't say much in the end."

"Sensei if Leo and I didn't give him our blood samples in the beginning we would never have been able to save your life!" Donatello insisted. "Even if Rob's friend didn't know us she helped us. The least I could do is try to help her."

Splinter frowned, but in the end he sighed. "I should know better than to get into an argument about a scientific problem with you my son. Please do not give Doctor Thomas any more of your blood, or at least do not unless you ask my permission. I do not wish for you to become ill helping these researchers."

"I won't sensei," Donatello assured him. But that night he had his first dream.

_So what does this mean? Why am I having these dreams?_ The worst part of these dreams were they never ended. Even awake Donatello could feel them in the back of his mind. He knew that they were connected somehow with Rob's project, but he didn't know how. Lately he didn't want to go to sleep at night, because somehow he knew that the dreams would take over his mind. He didn't tell anyone about the dreams yet. He thought Leo and the others would blame Rob, and he knew the man didn't know anything about it either.

_I am losing my mind slowly, or maybe rapidly_, he thought to himself with a sigh. Feeling his eyes close on their own accord he jumped up from his seat, and looked down at his bed. "Sleep a refuged from the day's struggles? Hardly." he muttered to no one in particular. Still he had no choice in the matter he had to sleep. With a heavy sigh Donatello sat down then laid down upon his bed and covered himself up. The moment he closed his eyes he found himself back within the pool of darkness surrounded by the same large beings calling to him.

_Help us, we're dying, you can help us._


	2. Chapter 2

**Orca Song**

**by Kellie Fay**

**To really understand this story you have to read "A Turtle's Tail Tale, and "The Shadow Spirit" that introduces my original characters and the mermaid thing explains why Mike is a little OOC. **

**Reviews make an insecure author very happy.**

**Chapter 1 **

**A Problem**

_Donnie needs me_

Michelangelo's eyes snapped open the instant the thought occurred to him. He sat up, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He got out of bed, jostling his little orange cat who meowed in protest. "Go back to sleep Klunk," Michelangelo said gently. "I'll take care of this." He never argued with his inner prompting to do weird things. All too often his hunches were on the money. Moving into Donatello's room Michelangelo stifled a sigh. _Man, I hate it when I'm right. _

Donatello moved past Michelangelo without seeing him. Michelangelo didn't need the vacant stare or the stilted movements of his brother to know what the problem was. _Donnie's sleepwalking? That's not normal._ Not quiet sure of what to do, Michelangelo followed Donatello a few steps then decided to try to gather some more information. He reached out and touched his brother gently on the shoulder, and reached into his own mind. Deeply hidden within the ordinary life of Michelangelo class clown of the family lay the knowledge of the marine world learned from mermaids who lived deep under one of the outer boroughs of New York. He pulled on his connection to the ocean, and reached for Donatello's mind. _Donnie? Come on Donnie you need to wake up! Come on wake up!_ Michelangelo used his knowledge to splash Donatello inside his mind waking his brother.

"Huh? What? Who?" Donatello opened his eyes, placed his hands on his face then sank to the floor. Michelangelo went down with him.

"Easy Donnie I got ya," Michelangelo said reassuringly. Donatello sat there on the floor covering his face and shaking. "Donnie? Tell me what's wrong." _Ohhh Man something is definitely not right with our resident genius. _

"Mike...Mikey?" Donatello managed to force out. "Please, make them stop. I can't sleep."

"Make them stop?" Michelangelo echoed puzzled. "Don what are you talking about."

Still trembling in his brother's arms Donatello answered, "The voices. Please make them stop."

_Okay not right is a major understatement,_ Michelangelo thought. Once again he opened his mind completely to the ocean, and reached for Donatello. What he found there puzzled him, but it was enough to formulate a quick plan. With the ocean still in his mind Michelangelo sent forth a call, placed his tongue under his top teeth, and whistled once sharply. Normally that would bring one or more of Benten's furry watchers to his side. This time however Michelangelo had only one being in mind for this summons. _And I just hope he's not to pissed about how I did that._

Sure enough the stern look Splinter had on his face evaporated when he saw Michelangelo holding a delirious and distressed Donatello. He helped move Donatello back into his bed, but Donatello struggled the entire way. "No," he muttered trying to pull away from them. "I have to go. They're dying."

"Don your dreaming," Michelangelo said. He looked up at Splinter. "Sensei something is pulling at Don from the outside. You need to give him something that will knock him out so deep that he can't hear it."

Splinter nodded. "I know just the thing my son." Splinter rose and moved back to his own room. Michelangelo kept the ocean in his mind, and whispered mermaid songs to Donatello trying to keep him from jumping up and running away. _This is definitely sea magic,_ Michelangelo thought to himself. _But it's not anything I've seen before._

Splinter brought back a potion. "Here my son, drink," He said gently lifting the cup to Donatello's mouth.

Donatello drank the potion, but still he fought true sleep. "They say their dying," he whimpered while the potion took affect. "They need my help."

"First you need help Don," Michelangelo said. He continued to hum sea songs into Donatello's ears until he finally stopped struggling, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Something's gotten into Donnie's head but good, Sensei," Michelangelo said worriedly. " I couldn't snap him out of it."

"Then this was a foreign attack?" Splinter said. Michelangelo saw his sensei's tail begin to twitch never a good sign.

"I don't think it's an attack," Michelangelo explained. "Don said that they were calling for help, that they were dying."

"I see," Splinter said the hint of a growl in his voice told Michelangelo that his sensei was not happy.

"And this is definitely sea magic," Michelangelo added. Before Splinter could ask he added. "It's not from mermaids Master Splinter. I would have felt that, but it's definitely something from the ocean. The mermaids aren't the only ones who work magic in the ocean you know."

Splinter nodded there were many other myths and creatures capable of magic, but who possessed the power to invade Donatello's mind?

Michelangelo looked up at Splinter and said. "Sensei is it all right with you If I go pay a day trip down to Benten? I can't tell what's gotten inside of Don's mind but I bet she can. She might be able to help us."

"Yes she might," Splinter agreed. He knew that Benten, the leader of the mermaids, loved Michelangelo, and would help him with whatever he needed. "Go and quickly return if you are able."

"Gotcha Sensei," Michelangelo said getting to his feet. "I'll try to be back by supper, bye!" With that Michelangelo raced from the lair.

Leonardo and Raphael needless to say were not happy to wake up and find practice canceled. Donatello ill, and Michelangelo missing.

"Why didn't Don say anything about these dreams before?" Leonardo said pacing up and down.

"Most likely he did not understand the nature of the dream," Splinter explained. "Michelangelo believes it began soon after he fainted during practice."

Raphael nodded. "That actually makes sense, ever since that day Don's been a little 'off'"

Leonardo nodded. "You're right Raph, but didn't he go that day to Rob's vet clinic?"

Suddenly Splinter's eyes shot open with realization. "My sons, the day Donatello returned from the clinic. He told me of Doctor Thomas's request that they conduct a further a study of the cells in your blood that saved my life. There are creatures in Alaska that are becoming ill from some new bacteria from melting glaciers. Donatello gave Doctor Thomas some of his blood that day."

"Wait Donnie gave Rob a blood sample?" Raphael asked.

"Probably more than just a sample," Leonardo said sternly. "When he needed more blood to make the medicine for you sensei he took a half a pint out of me, and that just about knocked me flat. No wonder Don fainted."

"But how is making like a vampire on Donnie connected to him having these weird dreams?" Raphael asked.

"They are not merely dreams Raphael," Splinter told them. "Michelangelo said they were connected to the magic of the seas. Some entity is invading Donatello's mind, and he could not identify the source."

Now Leonardo went completely on guard. "A mermaid is doing this to Don?"

"No way!" Raphael shot back angrily at Leonardo. "Even if mermaid could get past Mikey, Benten, and all her sisters, no mermaid in the world would deliberately hurt us!"

Leonardo looked back at Raphael confused. "But if Mikey said it was sea magic-"

Raphael sighed. "Leo you gotta spend more time visiting at the temple, you'll learn things. There are lots of creatures in the ocean that can do sea magic. Most of them work with mermaids, but if they were sick and dying..." Raphael drifted off staring into space deep in thought. Just when Leonardo began to worry Raphael blinked, and said, "Sensei, didn't you just say that Rob was researching a way to heal animals in Alaska?"

"Yes but I do not see-" Splinter said then he too broke off in thought.

Leonardo caught on. Uncertainly he asked, "you think their both connected?"

"I don't know," Raphael said, "But Don's been 'off' ever since he donated his blood to Rob for this research, and there is a whole lot of ocean around Alaska. I don't think that's just a coincidence. I think I'm gonna go pay our vet a visit, find out exactly what he's been doing with Donnie's blood."

"I think I'm gonna go with you," Leonardo said. "Master Splinter, will you be able to handle Don alone?"

"Yes Leonardo. Go with Raphael, and see what you can learn from Doctor Thomas."

It only took a little time for Leonardo and Raphael to reach the vet clinic where Doctor Thomas worked. They both slipped in through the back, and waited listening to their friend speak on the phone.

"Kristi it's not working! I've tried everything I know to get the samples to grow, but I can barely keep them alive, and I can't get another sample." Rob paused and paced a bit. "I can't send you a sample. For one thing I don't think it will survive the journey, and I promised my supplier I wouldn't. Kristi I shouldn't have the samples in the first place. I know I know but I don't know how else I can help? Have any of the new antibiotics worked?"

"Well at least Rob hasn't just handed Donnie's blood samples over to this girl," Raphael whispered to his brother.

Rob managed to hear them. He turned, sighed then said into the phone. "Kristi, I have to call you back. Yeah my turn this time. I have to talk to someone about something important. I promise, bye." He hung up the phone, and looked at the two turtles squarely. "Why do I have the feeling I'm in deep kimchee with you two?"

"That depends on what you can do to help us," Raphael said. "Tell us what you've been doing with Donnie's blood."

Rob winced. "He said you'd kill me if he told you I asked him for a sample."

"Just tell us what you've been doing," Leonardo said, "we may need your help."

"All I've been doing is trying to get the blood cells I got from Don to reproduce. If we could mass produce the cells and get them to produce cytokine in the dishes then we could make enough serum to administer, but the cells barely stay alive."

"Do you have any idea why?" Leonardo asked.

"Don thinks it has to do with the fact that it's actually a protozoan and the relationship it has with you guys may be more mutualism than commensilism..." Rob began a long dragged out set of guesses with lots of words that went right over Raphael's head, so he began to tune out the lecture. At the same time he could gradually feel something trying to get his attention. Without understanding why Raphael closed his eyes. Immediately he felt submerged in a dark place floating about with huge somethings he couldn't see surrounding him. _Help us, you must help us._

"What the shell?" Raphael instantly knew then what force held his brother's mind in captivity. With a huge mental shove he cried out, "get out of my head!" And forced the energies back away from his mind.

"Raph?" Leonardo moved to his side instantly, but Raphael let the adrenaline from his attack sustain him and fuel his anger.

"Raph what in the world just happened to you?" Rob asked puzzled. Raphael looked up to see a small choker necklace Rob wore around his neck. Suspended from a small leather cord were Five beads. The two black beads framed two white beads which framed a large wooden bead that had a large stylized fish creature painted on it.

"Leo that's it!" Raphael said understanding finally. "It wasn't the blood sample it's Rob's necklace. I just heard what I think Don's been hearing. That necklace reeks of magic!"

Rob gave Raphael an incredulous look. "Raph, there is no such thing -"

Raphael took one menacing step towards the vet. "And I know that the person who's invisible deceased tenant possessed my brother AIN'T gonna say magic isn't real!"

Rob took a big step back. "Okay," he said

Leonardo decided then to step in. "Look Rob, I know it's hard to understand but ever since Don gave you that blood sample he's been having strange dreams and last night he tried to sleep walk out of the lair. He told Mikey that something is calling him asking for help, but it never leaves him alone."

"And I just heard that now," Raphael added. "Don't ask me how I know Rob, but that necklace your wearing did something to Don somehow, and it's trying to do it to me now."

"Where did you get it from?" Leonardo asked.

Still confused Rob said, "If you must know I did get the necklace from Kristi a few weeks after she began her work in Alaska, but that was months before she told me about the glacier, and the bacteria."

"Do you know where she got it from?" Raphael said.

Rob shrugged. "I think she bought it from a local." He looked at the necklace then back at the two turtles. "You guys are serious about this magic thing."

"You haven't seen Donnie," Raphael said.

"Maybe he should," Leonardo said. "If a ghost haunting your upper apartment isn't enough to believe in things not yet dreamed of in your philosophy then you should see what magic can do if your not ready for it."

"Speaking of which," Rob complained. "What did happen to the ghost haunting the upstairs apartment, you guys never said."

"And we never will," Raphael said with a grin, "And you promised never to mention the ghost to Master Splinter."

"So I did," Rob grabbed his jacket, grabbed a backpack he used to treat the turtles and put out the "Closed" sign on his door. "Okay Raph lead the way."


	3. Chapter 3

**Orca Song **

**By Kellie Fay **

*sigh* TMNT belongs to someone else not me. I don't even know who but it's not me

If you want to know who Benten and Doctor Robert Thomas is you need to read my former stories "A Turtles Tail Tale," and "The Shadow Spirit"

As always reviews make the insecure author very happy.

**chapter 2**

**Benten**

When they got to the lair they saw Michelangelo with Splinter and Benten, the leader of the New York colony of mermaids surrounding Donatello. Donatello sat in Benten's lap sound asleep while the three of them spoke quietly. Instantly Leonardo tensed up. Logically Leonardo knew that Benten treated all of them with the same love and care that Splinter did. Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello adored her, and she ruled her part of the ocean gently, and fairly, but Leonardo never felt comfortable around her or any of the other mermaids. Because of their aquatic ancestry their inborn instincts caused them to automatically trust and accept mermaids as their masters. The other three tried to explain to him that it didn't feel like that to them, but he saw it that way. Every time he looked at a mermaid he felt that automatic love, and wanted to trust them, but even though he knew this to be true, he knew that the emotions themselves were false. His instincts made them, and he wanted to be a creature of more than simply instinct. Ninja were masters of their bodies and minds. They did not allow emotions or instincts to rule them. Every time he saw a mermaid despite what his first feelings told him he fought his instincts tooth and nail trying to show them that he would not succumb to his emotions. More often than not the end result was an upset stomach and unhappy brothers, but he would not relent. No one would master his emotions. When he did see mermaids he made sure to be always polite and gracious. He never let them know how he truly felt. He didn't want to hurt their feelings, but somehow he sensed that they always knew.

Raphael felt the opposite way. Around mermaids Raphael felt calm, and under control of himself. He never lost his temper when any of them were around. They calmed him in such a way that Raphael missed the feeling when they weren't around. Donatello tried to keep Leonardo from worrying about it. He describe the mermaids' affect on Raphael as a sedative, but it made Leonardo nervous to see Raphael instantly smile and move to Benten's side.

"How's Don?" Raphael asked anxiously

To his surprise Donatello answered back from Benten's lap sleepily. "Don, is feeling better, but If Benten lets go of me I'd be a lost cause."

That was enough for Leonardo to push aside his own discomfort, and question the mermaid directly. "Benten?"

The mermaid nodded sadly while she held on to Donatello. "I can hear the call. It is within the sea, but these beings have a culture older than our own. Their power comes from many and I cannot clear your brother's mind of their summons."

Leonardo didn't understand, but Raphael seemed too. "It's a summons? No wonder Don's been off his game lately."

"What's a summons?" Leonardo asked.

Michelangelo frowned. "Well it's kind of complicated. There's something out there that's smart powerful and telepathic, and it's calling for Don to come to it."

"What could do that?" Leonardo asked.

"I think I know how to find out," Raphael said. He gestured Rob to come a little close. "Benten This is our friend Rob. He's the vet that helped us out when Splinter was sick. What do you make of that necklace of his? From the moment I laid eyes on it I can kinda hear what Don's been hearing."

"Oh I can do that!" Michelangelo bounced up excited. He took two steps towards Rob, and reached out his right hand to the necklace. The next moment he shut his eyes a pained expression filled his face. He backed up and dropped to one knee covering his ears with his hands. "No," he gasped out, "Too loud too many!"

"Michelangelo!" Benten called from Donatello's bed. "Close it off! Obey me!"

Michelangelo shook his head hard once then took a deep cleansing breath and opened his eyes. "Okay, that's a little too intense even for me." He backed away slowly moving back to Benten's side.

Rob, a little overwhelmed by Benten, and confused by the conversation asked, "do I want to know what's going on?"

Raphael looked at Michelangelo more than a little worried. "We'll tell you later Doc, we need answers first."

Leonardo looked at the necklace then at Benten again. "Why don't I hear anything?"

"I will explain later," Benten said evenly. "This call is coming from beings who are very powerful, but at the same time they are calling for our help."

"My help," the dozing Donatello corrected. "I don't know why Benten, but when Rob told me about the animals sick in Alaska, suddenly they homed in on me. They want me to come to them, they...they think I can help them, but I have to go to them."

Benten nodded she then looked at Splinter for a while neither elder said anything. Rob leaned over and whispered to Raphael. "Okay now what's going on?"

"Benten and Splinter are talking," Raphael explained. "Or more likely arguing, but I think I know where this is going."

"But they're not saying anything," Rob answered.

Michelangelo chuckled. "Oh they're saying plenty, believe me." Then at the two elders he said cheerfully. "I'm in."

Both Splinter and Benten snapped around annoyed at that. "You are not supposed to be eavesdropping." Benten said sharply.

"Wasn't trying to," Michelangelo answered with a smile. "With you in Don's head right now I'm sure he could hear you too."

"I can," Donatello said with a sigh. "And I'm with Mikey on this one. It's either that or go crazy."

Splinter sighed defeated. "And what if these creatures refuse to release their minds?"

Benten's voice made a cold shiver run down Leonardo's shell. "Then I shall bring all my forces against them. Remember Splinter-san I care for your sons as I care for my own people. No harm shall come to them in my care."

"Wait," Leonardo asked. "What's going on?" He felt a little frustrated that Michelangelo and Donatello caught some of that conversation, and he didn't. What did Benten propose?

Donatello rose, and helped Benten to her feet. "We must travel to Alaska and confront the beings calling to your brothers," she said.

"Go to Alaska?" Leonardo echoed.

"Leo it's the only way," Donatello said. "We have to find out what they want."

"Okay so how are you guys going to get to Alaska?" Rob asked.

"I think I have a way," Donatello said, "but I think you have to come with us too Rob,"

"What? Why me?" Rob asked.

Raphael growled slightly. "Cuz that necklace you're wearing is sending out a major telepathic SOS that got Donnie sick! You started this now you gotta help us fix it."

Leonardo looked at Benten apprehensively. "So we're going to drop everything and just go with you to Alaska?"

"You are not being affected by the call, Leonardo," Benten said with a smile. "If you do not wish to go you do not need to."

"Right of course." Leonardo didn't dare voice his thoughts, but he knew that most likely Benten could hear him thinking anyway. _Like I'm going to let you traipse out of here with all my brothers for a cross country trip without me?_

Later that night at the end of Battery Park city Rob repeated his original question. "You guys still haven't told me how we're getting to Alaska."

Donatello looking slightly better, but still not straying a foot from Benten's side said with a grin, "with a little something I've been saving for just such an occasion." He turned to Benten with a grin. "Is Tara bringing it up?"

"It will be here momentarily little brother," Benten said keeping her arm around his shoulder.

Raphael now looked at Donatello in shock. "Wait you can't use that thing! You'll set up UFO sightings from here to the Pacific! Bishop will be using us for target practice."

"Got it covered," Donatello said happily." Behind him Michelangelo giggled.

"Hey Leo, what do you get when you cross an Utrom crash landing, A Tricerton invasion, the schematics for the foot tech ninja, and one techno turtle?"

Leonardo knew he didn't want to be the butt of this joke, but he couldn't resist the urge to find out. "I give up what do you get?"

Just then the waters in front of them rippled and parted, but nothing appeared except a hole in the air revealing the inside of Donatello's favorite toy.

"A Tricerton star cruiser with a cloaking device!" Michelangelo said happily.

Leonardo sighed, and shook his head. "Okay that's it no more Star Trek for either one of you."

Michelangelo and Donatello laughed, and they all walked into the space ship.

A young woman with short brown hair dressed in a sky blue midriff and skirt gave up the pilot's chair easily for Donatello. "Are you well enough to fly?" She asked.

"I think so," Donatello answered. "The moment we actually decided to go to Alaska I started to feel better. I think the sooner we get there the better off I'll be. Thanks for prepping her for me Tara."

Tara nodded. "I could -" She began but Donatello shook his head firmly.

"No you can't. Look behind you," he said. Tara looked to see their human friend Rob, staring at her with a big smile on his face.

"Hi!" He said brightly. Leonardo and Raphael rolled his eyes.

"I see your point," She said with a bit of a laugh with a small peck on the cheek and a, "be well little brother." She walked down the gangplank onto dock where we once stood.

"Brace yourselves guys," Donatello said preparing the ship to rise. "Next stop Alaska."

The three turtles grabbed on to whatever they were standing near. Benten still near Donatello grasped firmly the edge of his chair. Only Rob teetered and almost fell. Michelangelo caught him steadied him. "Easy Rob."

Rob was still shaking off the influence of Tara's presence. "Oh, thanks Mike. Why couldn't the pretty girl come along with us?"

Raphael poked Rob in the back. "Put your eyeballs back in your head doc. Trust me when I tell you she ain't your type."

Rob looked crestfallen at that. "Are you sure?"

All four turtles looked back at him. "We're sure," they said in chorus.

Michelangelo began to rummage through a cooler knapsack he packed back at the lair. "Come on Rob, they got a galley back here, we can put together something to eat. Trust me pal you do not want to try Tricerton chow."

The moment Doctor Thomas couldn't be seen, and Michelangelo couldn't be heard the three remaining turtles on the bridge heaved a collective sigh. Raphael rubbed his head, and said, "Benten, while Mikey's chattering away in there keeping Rob distracted, thank him for me. Having my instincts force me to avoid the 'M" word around him was starting to give me a headache."

"I am sorry my friend," Benten reached out to Raphael, and drew him closer to her. Raphael snuggled into her embrace, and rested his head for a moment against her shoulder. _Damn, I'm probably creeping Leo out, but this feels so damn good!_

"Why did you and Don insist that Rob come with us?" Leonardo asked. Leonardo's voice sounded even, but Raphael knew that a very unhappy turtle spoke. "It would have made it a lot easier on us if you hadn't."

Donatello sighed as he adjusted their flight heading. "I'm not exactly sure Leo. It somehow has to do with that necklace Rob has. I didn't even notice it that day when he took my blood, but ever since then that call has been in my head."

Benten nodded. "He is somehow connected to this. He is not a male child of my people, but perhaps he should be tested to see if he will keep our secrete. Someone has targeted him to hold a very powerful talisman."

"He's kept our secrete," Donatello said evenly. "And he helped us save Master Splinter when a bacterial infection almost took his life."

"I will consider this," Benten said.

"Benten," Leonardo began uncertainly. "You said you'd explain why I can't hear the call Don and the others can."

Benten sighed heavily. "I can my young friend, but you may not like the answer."

"Just tell me," Leonardo said.

Looking at him sternly Benten replied. "You cannot hear the call, because it is part of the ocean's song. Michelangelo and your brothers have all learned to hear this song, and accept it, but you have not."

Leonardo frowned in thought. "You mean it has to do with your people." Benten shook her head no.

"It has to do with all life in the sea. Every living thing in the ocean from the smallest algae to the great whales are part of that song. It is through us that your brothers have learned to hear the song, but we are not its source we are merely a chord within the song, as are you and your brothers."

Raphael opened his eyes and glanced at Leonardo. Sure enough he had that persistent frown on his face. He didn't understand. "Just think of it as a mermaid's version of 'The Force'" Raphael said. Leonardo relaxed a tiny bit. So he must have understood that.

"So I could learn," He said. Raphael managed to hide the smirk. Leo didn't understand that the song existed inside of them. He just had to hear it.

"You're brother had tutors," Benten reminded him, "But yes you could learn."

_Yeah if he'd stop being a jerk about you guys he'd have heard it already._ Raphael thought to Benten.

_You are not being fair to your brother Raphael,_ The aged mermaid chastised him gently. _Your brother feels he must oppose the ocean's song to be in control of himself. He does not understand that the water will bear you better if you flow with the current. As long as he poles against the currents in his own mind he can not hear the song of the sea._

_Well he ain't gonna figure it out while he's still scared of you girls,_ Raphael added then as an afterthought he thought, _Hey if you decide to make our lives easy and let the mermaid out of the bag with Rob fix it so Leo ends up telling him. He'd probably feel more in control of it if he thinks he's doing it on his own._

_I do not know why your brothers tease you about not thinking so often Raphael_ Benten thought with a mental giggle. _You are very clever when you wish to be._

_Nah, that's just cuz its Leo. For some reason when he gets his brain tied up in knots I'm always the one who ends up doing the untiing. _

"Okay at cruising speed." Donatello announced. "Estimated time of arrival, three hours."

Next up **Chapter 3 **

**The Strength of the Pod**

"Hey!" Michelangelo said giggling. "We've got ourselves a welcoming committee!"

Rob looked out of the main viewer of the space ship. Sure enough a huge pod of orcas were surrounding the ship. Looking right at the ship. Suddenly Rob felt very very small.

"What are they looking at us for?" Raphael asked. Suddenly loud squeaks began to fill the ship.

Donatello began to tremble, he pulled his hands from the console and covered his ears. "The whales!" He cried out.

"Don the ship!" Michelangelo shook his head as if dealing with the uncomfortable sounds himself but he managed to instantly take control of the ship.

Raphael had his hands over his own ears dropping down to his knees. "Benten! It ain't coming from the necklace anymore it's them the whales!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Orca Song**

**by Kellie Fay **

The TMNT are not mine, does anyone know who owns them now? And why they aren't doing anything with them?

Reviews make the insecure author very happy.

**Chapter 3 **

**The Strength of the Pod**

Leonardo didn't take a nap. It surprised Rob when he woke from his own doze to find the blue clad ninja turtle in almost exactly the same position from an hour ago. Everyone else slept in shifts. Mike and Raphael both chose to nap early in the flight. Donatello went next allowing Raphael and Michelangelo to fly the space ship. _And where in the world did they get a space ship anyway?_ The strange woman, Benten, sat in the navigators chair at Donatello's left. The woman continued to puzzle Rob. All he could get out of Michelangelo was that the woman knew magic and she understood the magic affecting Donatello. He could tell that three out of the four ninja turtles liked this woman, and trusted her implicitly. Leonardo for some reason, hated her guts. He didn't act deliberately hostile to the woman, but he refused to relax in her presence. Leonardo also wouldn't look at the woman except to speak to her, and that worried Rob more.

Ever since they brought Master Splinter to his clinic with that infection, the turtles allowed him to be their emergency physician. Most minor injuries Donatello could handle, though he did come by for lessons every now and then. Every now and then though they would get into a major fight and Rob found himself down at their new lair sewing up deep lacerations and twice removing bullets from both Leonardo and Raphael. Becoming their doctor taught Rob a few things about how these ninja behaved, and he knew. When a ninja didn't look at you they were in truth watching you very closely.

"We're almost there," Raphael said. He looked down at Donatello sleeping at Benten's feet. "Better wake up our resident genius Benten. I can fly this thing, but I don't think I can land it."

Benten reached over and gently prodded Donatello. "We are nearly there, Donatello,"

Instantly Donatello sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Thanks Benten," he said then gently pushed Raphael out of his seat and read the dials. "Nunivak Island dead ahead."

"I thought we were going to Alaska?" Michelangelo said.

"Nunivak Island is in Alaska, Michelangelo," Benten explained "It is part of a Wildlife Refuge there."

"The Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge," Donatello explained. That's where the research station is where Rob's friend works.

Rob looked at them amazed. "How do you guys know that."

"Benten knows everything," Michelangelo said with a grin.

"Is everything ready?" Donatello asked Benten.

"Just as you requested," Benten said smiling she began punching up numbers at the navigators stations. "Take this heading and your scanners should find the outpost."

"Got it," Donatello said smiling. "Okay everyone brace yourselves. Underwater submersion in two minutes."

"Can this thing go underwater?" Rob asked nervously.

Donatello laughed. "Rob, this ship was designed to keep atmosphere, in. It's air tight, it has it's own life support system. It's a space ship. It can handle being in the vacuum of space. A little dip in the Bearing Sea should be no problem for it."

"If you say so," Rob muttered.

The ship dipped down under the water without any problem. Rob took a glance at Leonardo used his knees to balance himself but otherwise didn't move. Leaning over to Michelangelo Rob asked. "What's with Leo? If he gets any tenser He's gonna snap in two,"

With a wicked grin Michelangelo said, "Nah Leo's fine. He just doesn't like to be away from home."

_A half truth_ Rob theorized. He'd seen Leonardo not at home and the young leader of the turtles had not been so stressed. Something troubled Leonardo that the others didn't want to talk about.

"Hey!" Michelangelo said giggling. "We've got ourselves a welcoming committee!"

Rob looked out of the main viewer of the space ship. Sure enough a huge pod of orcas were surrounding the ship. Looking right at the ship. Suddenly Rob felt very very small.

"What are they looking at us for?" Raphael asked. Suddenly loud squeaks began to fill the ship.

Donatello began to tremble, he pulled his hands from the console and covered his ears. "The whales!" He cried out.

"Don the ship!" Michelangelo shook his head as if dealing with the uncomfortable sounds himself but he managed to instantly take control of the ship.

Raphael had his hands over his own ears dropping down to his knees. "Benten! It ain't coming from the necklace anymore it's them the whales!"

Leonardo nodded. "Even I can hear it now!" Rob didn't hear anything except the whales squeaking and clicking around the ship, but he didn't doubt his friends one bit. They didn't recognized the animal on his necklace, but he knew the bead in the center showed a drawing of an orca."

"I must speak with them," Benten said. "Michelangelo help Donatello land your space ship. Raphael help me with the airlock I must go to them."

"Wait you can't swim out there!" Robert said.

Benten ignored him and gave one final command. "I will rendevous later with you my friends." She took two large steps forward to face Leonardo. Leonardo visibly tensed, but didn't make a single move. "Leonardo," she said gently placing one hand on his shoulder and looking directly into his eyes. "Do not be afraid to speak your heart." With that she took Raphael and ran for the back of the ship."

"She can't go swimming in there!" Rob repeated. "Those orcas will eat her alive if she doesn't freeze to death first."

Leonardo barked out a harsh laugh. "Benten knows what she's doing," he said. Then to his brothers. "Come on Donnie hold it together, the dock is just ahead."

"Come on Donnie," Michelangelo coached. He had one hand on Donatello's shoulder and one hand helping with the instruments.

Ahead of the ship loomed the bottom of the island. Hewn into the rock they saw an opening just big enough for the ship to enter. However they were flying too low in the water to reach the opening in the rocks.

"Donnie you got to pull up!" Leonardo commanded.

Raphael ran back to the front of the ship, "Benten's away. Come on Don! She's gonna pull through for us! Pull up!"

Suddenly the whale song per icing the space ship silenced. Donatello's eyes cleared and he managed to steer the ship right into the dock. Once the ship landed, the doors hiding the dock closed and suddenly the water fled from the chamber.

Absently mindedly Donatello muttered, "Air lock secure, atmospheric quality, check. Docking procedures complete. Captain we are ready to disembark."

"Good work Donnie," Leonardo said. Then looked down at his brother with concern. "You okay now?"

Donatello closed his eyes momentarily listening. "I think so," he said, "I think Benten got the whales to stop calling me."

Michelangelo tilted his head listening also. "She's still talking to them, but they're pretty sick Leo. We have to help them."

Leonardo tensed again. "Lets get set up and find that friend of Rob's I still want to know where those necklaces come from."

The turtles all nodded and began to prepare to leave the ship.

"Wait a minute!" Rob barked annoyed. "What about Benten? You just ejected a forty something year old woman out into The Bearing Sea with no scuba gear to talk to killer whales?"

Michelangelo looked puzzled at that. "Benten's fine," he said.

"She knows what she's doing," Donatello added.

Leonardo sighed. "She wouldn't be the matriarch of a mermaid colony if she couldn't handle a pod of whales," Leonardo said. _Wait did I just say what I think I said? _

"Matriarch of a what?" Rob asked.

_I just said...can I say it again?_ "Benten is the matriarch, the leader, of a colony of mermaids in New York," Leonardo said slowly. _I did say it! But how?_

"She's a mermaid?" Rob asked.

Michelangelo was staring at Leonardo in shock. "Leo how did you say mermaid in front of Rob? Woah! I said it too! Whoo hoo!" He did a back flip with glee.

Raphael chuckled. "Benten was thinking about letting Rob in on our little secrete anyway. I guess she thinks your all right."

Now Leonardo understood. "Her last words to me. She gave me permission."

"And giving you permission, gave us all permission," Donatello surmised. "At least that's one less headache we have to worry about."

"Will somebody tell me what you are talking about?" Rob asked frustrated.

"We'll tell you on the way," Donatello said trying not to laugh.

"Rob old buddy," Michelangelo said with a giggle, "Welcome to the weird world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!"

Coming Soon **Chapter 4 **

**Agnes**

Just then the girl that let Rob in came running back into the room. "Please you have to help me!" She said.

_Oh damn, she's seen the guys. I thought these guys were pros how did she catch them?_ Rob thought. "Just calm down," he said gently. _Great now I have to do damage control._

"Agnes what's wrong?" Kristi said.

"I didn't mean to upset them," the girl went on grabbing onto Rob's arm. "It really wasn't me."

_Man how badly did they frighten her? It had to be Raph._ "It's okay," Rob said gently. "Just tell us what happened."

"Let go of him right now!"

Robert winced and made a half turn shocked to see Michelangelo out in the open, hands on his hips looking crossly down at the young girl.

The girl squeezed Rob's arm tighter. "Please -" she began but Michelangelo cut her off.

"Not another word out of you young lady," He ordered. "Step away from my friend and don't say anything. You are in so much trouble when Benten gets here."

_Oh Man. What on earth is Mike thinking?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Orca Song**

**By Kellie Fay **

**Disclaimer **

**TMNT aren't mine. I wish they were, but their not. **

**I am also waving hello to Irene and running for cover. Most of my writing today will be on my IPad. I have also found out that I can't load stoies from my IPad. I still need my laptop. Okay I've updated now I'm running. **

**Chapter 4 **

**Agnes**

"So after that we've been pretty close friends," Donatello finished the tale. Rob noticed Donatello biting off the last comment _most of us anyway,_ but it still hung in the air.

"So are Selkies real too?" He asked.

"What?" Raphael asked.

Donatello laughed. "I don't know. We'll have to ask Benten,"

"They're real too," Michelangelo said with a grin. "I got to meet one once when I was twelve, but they're really not like the stories make them out to be. They're guardians too, but they stay in their local waters."

Leonardo just gave Michelangelo a look that Rob named "Leo's third degree burn look." Then acting like it didn't happen Leonardo said, "The Research Center is up there. Rob go on in, but leave the door cracked for us. Don't worry that you can't see us we'll be there."

"Yeah," Rob said. He knew this trick too. One time he and Donatello were cleaning up Raphael after a fight, and someone came in with a dog that got hit by a car. He didn't know how they managed it, but when he turned around both turtles were gone. They even cleaned up the mess they made fixing Raphael. "How am I going to explain to Kristi how I got here?"

"You'll think of something Doc," Raphael said with a smile.

"Just remember Rob, you can't say anything about Benten and mermaids." Donatello reminded him. "If Benten hadn't told us it was all right we wouldn't have been able to tell you at all. We told her you were trustworthy, that's why she told us we could."

"Don," Rob said shaking his necklace. "I have to go up there and tell my colleague that she gave me a magic necklace that is freaking the source of our test samples. I'm not sure she's going to believe that!"

"Yeah, I'm guessing leaving out the whole giant mutant turtle thing is going to be hard too huh?" Michelangelo said.

"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it guys," Leonardo said firmly. "Lets go."

_I swear the next time I have to stitch one of them up it will be without anaesthesia_ Rob thought knocking on the front door. When the door opened Rob saw a young girl with deep forest green eyes, and jet black hair dressed in a red snow vest, blue jeans and a sweatshirt that said "NWR Yukon Delta Station 27" across the right pocket. "Hi Where'd you come from?" She asked brightly.

The first thing Rob noticed is that the girl wore an identical necklace to the one he wore. "I'm looking for Doctor Kristina Williams."

"Okay," the girl said. Rob made sure to be careful to leave the front door ajar. He followed behind wishing ever so slightly that the girl could be just about ten years older. _Where on earth did that thought come from?_ He wondered. He shook his head trying to clear it and then entered the room seeing his old friend Kristina Williams.

Kristina had deep strawberry blond hair dressed also in blue jeans and a sweat shirt along with a bright yellow rain coat, doubling as a lab jacket. She also wore one of the beaded orca necklaces. Rob began to wonder how many of those things were out there, and what kind of damage were they doing. "Kristi?" He asked.

Kristina looked up and her face melted into shock. "Rob?" At once she went into mother hen mode. "Robert Thomas how the hell did you get here? What are you doing here? Did you bring the samples?"

"I bought something else and we have a problem," Rob temporized. He pulled off his orca necklace, and placed it in front of her on a table covered in maps and photographs. "Tell me where you got this from."

"Rob, what does this have to do with anything?" Kristi asked.

"Because ever since my friend and I started doing research for you this thing has been putting some kind of magic whammy on him." Robert said firmly.

"Rob that's crazy there is no such thing as magic!" Kristi insisted.

"Kristi, ever since I took over my dad's vet clinic I've had a ghost in my upstairs apartment. I've had aliens and ancient demons invading my home town! Don't tell me that magic is impossible. I've seen what this thing has been doing to my friends."

Kristi put her hands up in an attempt to hold him off. "Wait Rob slow down. Explain this to me from the top."

Just then the girl that let Rob in came running back into the room. "Please you have to help me!" She said.

_Oh damn, she's seen the guys. I thought they were pros. How did she catch them?_ Rob thought. "Just calm down," he said gently. _Great now I have to do damage control._

"Agnes what's wrong?" Kristi said.

"I didn't mean to upset them," the girl went on grabbing onto Rob's arm. "It really wasn't me."

_Man how badly did they frighten her? It had to be Raph._ "It's okay," Rob said gently. "Just tell us what happened."

"Let go of him right now!"

Robert winced and made a half turn shocked to see Michelangelo out in the open, hands on his hips looking crossly down at the young girl.

The girl squeezed Rob's arm tighter. "Please -" she began but Michelangelo cut her off.

"Not another word out of you young lady," He ordered. "Step away from my friend and don't say anything. You are in so much trouble when Benten gets here."

_Oh Man. What on earth is Mike thinking?_

Donatello knew the moment they laid eyes on the girl that let Rob into the research station that she was unusual. Something in the back of his head told him that. For no reason at all he instantly wanted to like her. That thought alone told him what he needed to know.

Once they moved inside Donatello turned to Michelangelo. "Hey Mikey is it just me, or did that girl give you a buzz too?"

"Ain't just you Don," Michelangelo said with a grin. "I think we found a possible cause for those necklaces."

"She was wearing one too." Donatello said.

"Wait," Leonardo said, "What are you talking about?" Leonardo asked.

"That kid should be sporting fins Leo," Raphael said, "I got it too."

"She's a mermaid?" Leonardo asked.

"And she's coming back!" Michelangelo said, "Hide!"

The four disappeared into different hiding spots in the room. The girl came in looking worried. She paced around the room for a few seconds thinking out loud.

"They're here! They're here! How did they get here? What did they do? I am in so much trouble if Margaret finds out she's going to skin me alive! I gotta talk to Moonlight." With that the girl ran out of the research station.

Instantly the turtles came out of hiding. "Talk to who?" Raphael asked.

"Lets find out," Leonardo said. "Mikey, Raph stick with Rob find out what you can. Don and I will ghost our finny friend there. Keep in touch via shell cell. "

"Will do Leo," Michelangelo said. He and Raphael moved deeper into the research station. Leonardo and Donatello followed the girl out the door. She ran down a path leading to a dock in the water. When Leonardo saw her leap over a six foot ledge to the shore below he looked at Donatello in shock.

"Ding ding ding," Donatello said not taking his eyes off of their target. "Definitely not human, but mermaid."

Leonardo nodded grimly. Even though they looked delicate, mermaids were far stronger than humans, and could do some pretty impressive things. They watched the girl reach the dock. Two seconds later a huge black and white shape popped it's head out of the water.

"What did you guys do?" The girl asked frantically. The whale at once began to make some high pitched sounds. "I know they're here!" Again she pauses listening to the whale. "You don't understand they are like labeled hands off! Don't touch! Don't mess with them! I am in sooo much trouble. I know, but they are going to blame me!" She paused again "How much more trouble do you want me to be in when I say hands off I means hands off no singing!" Then the girl stopped and thought. "Wait they brought a man with them. Coercion is not the same as persuasion right?"

_Uh oh,_ Leonardo thought. _What's she thinking of doing?_

The whale squeaked back at the girl. "Well I'm not gonna hurt the guy or anything, I'm just gonna make him want to help me." The whale's squeaking sounded off. "Well I can sometimes if I try hard enough. I got no other choice."

"She's probably not more than thirty to forty years old," Donatello whispered to Leonardo. "Just adolescent. She probably can't control human men with any reliability."

"Down," Leo said, the girl came back running up the path. She passed by them not noticing at first then she half turned, and said, "uh oh." She then began running full speed for the house.

"I think she sensed us," Donatello said once they couldn't see her.

"Tell Mikey she's coming back and she's got her sites set on Rob."

"Gotcha Leo," Donatello answered. "Mikey did you copy?"

Michelangelo sighed. The one place he never wanted to be, between a mermaid and his friends. "Yeah Don, don't worry I've got it covered."

The girl already ran in and began pleading with Rob. Michelangelo sucked up his courage and strode out into the open.

"Let go of him right now!"

Rob winced, and turned to see him. _Don't think about Rob, think about what the kid is doing She's using him and that's wrong. Awww shell she is turning up the juice on him. _

The girl squeezed Rob's arm tighter. "Please -" she began, but Michelangelo drew up his nerve, and cut her off.

"Not another word out of you young lady," he ordered. "Step away from my friend, and don't say anything. You are in so much trouble when Benten gets here."

He wondered what the girl thought about him. Sullenly the girl dropped Rob's arm, and moved to a corner of the room.

Trying to do his best impression of a very angry Leonardo, Michelangelo moved closer to her, and continued his scolding. "Now I don't know how you were raised, but where I come from it's understood that you don't do stuff like that to people."

"I wasn't gonna make him -"

"Quiet," he ordered, then switched completely to the telepathy mermaids used. _Don't think I don't know what your capable of. Not a word out of you until Benten gets here. That trick of yours wasn't gonna work anyway once Rob got a clue to your nature._

That got the girls attention. _You mean he knows._

_Yep, my matriarch let us tell him, but we wouldn't have had to except for that necklace of yours freaking us out all they way back in the Big Apple._ Michelangelo gave a glance to the woman in the room. She wasn't giving off mermaid singles so he classified her human. _Does she know?_

_No,_ the girl admitted.

_Great no saying mermaid, matriarch or colony in front of the woman. Leo's gonna be thrilled._ He turned his full attention back to the girl. _Well then this little lecture is gonna be between you and me girlfriend. Now what is up with these necklaces?_

Rob shook his head to clear it a little bit. He didn't know exactly what just happened. The girl at first clung to him like she needed a protector, but the moment Michelangelo appeared in the room the young mutant turtle acted like he needed to protect him from the girl. Rob glanced over to where instead of talking Michelangelo and the girl took up a staring contest. Mike had his best Leo face on, and the girl didn't look happy about it. _Mike shouldn't be scaring her like that,_ he thought he took one step forward, but Raphael stopped him by gently grabbing his arm.

"Rob leave them be, she's fine. In fact don't look at them. Think about what we talked about on the way over here. Think about who we brought with us. There's a reason Mikey's not letting her near you."

Snippets of the mermaid conversation filtered through his mind at that moment. The girl Tara had also been a mermaid, which explained why he felt so attracted to her. Suddenly he realized why he felt attracted to the girl. "You mean she's-"

"Yep," One word answer. The guys warned him about that too. If Kristi didn't know about mermaids, the four of them were instinct bound not to reveal their existence. They couldn't even say the word mermaid if they didn't know for sure who knew. Benten gave them permission to tell him. He didn't want to break his word right now.

Kristi backed up against the wall hyperventilating. She obviously didn't know anything. She looked scared to death staring at Raphael and Michelangelo muttering, "They're real, the green men are real! The green men are real."

_Right_ Rob said to himself. _Deal with Kristi, better than dealing with a mermaid._ He moved over to his friend and gave her shoulders a gentle shake. "Kristi! Kristi! Calm down! It's okay they're friends of mine!"

"They're what?" She demanded. At that moment Donatello and Leonardo came into the room.

"We're also the sources of your cytokines," Donatello quipped. "You're welcome."

"Oh," she said. Still obviously frightened she moved closer to Rob.

Leonardo surveyed the scene before them. "How is it going Raph,"

"About as good as it gets for us," Raphael said shrugging. "Mikey jumped out at our little necklace maker so she wouldn't get away. They've been thinking at each other since then. She almost pulled a big no no on Rob. She's probably better off not talking until Benten gets here."

Leonardo nodded grimly.

Kristi calmed down enough to listen to the conversation again. "How did you know that Agnes made the necklaces?"

Raphael grunted sounding annoyed. "Lucky guess considering."

_Considering she's a mermaid where there shouldn't be one._ Rob finished what he knew Raphael couldn't say.

The girl looked over at Raphael. " I didn't -" she began

Michelangelo covered her mouth. "Shh-" he ordered. Then he made a half turn to address the others. "According to our little friend here all she did was bead the necklaces. Her friends are the ones who up and enchanted them."

"You mean her large cetacean friends down in the bay?" Donatello asked.

Kristi looked at the girl now. "Wait the necklaces are enchanted?"

The girl looked up at Michelangelo was still looked more like an angry Leonardo. Meekly she looked at Kristi and nodded ever so slightly.

Kristi sank down into a chair. "Giant talking turtles, magic necklaces, I need a cup of coffee."

"Perhaps if you show him, Donatello will be so kind to make you all some refreshment." Benten said coming into the room. Her clothing appeared dry, but runnels of water were still falling out of her shoulder length dark brown hair onto her blouse. "We need to talk about a great many things."

**Coming Soon Chapter 5 The Summons**

_We can help you_

The thought was strong and powerful, penetrating all the emotions Leonardo just allowed to flow through him.

He turned in the direction of the thought and looked down into the water where a dozen large black shadows floated. "What?" He asked the water below.

_We understand better what you fear come we'll help you._

"Leo what is it?" Rob asked.

Leonardo ignored the man to answer the thoughts coming from the water. "I'm not a-"

_We understand. We are different. Come help us and we can help you._

The 'help us' felt like a kick in his gut. These creatures were still in pain and ill from the infections. Somehow they believed that Don could help them.

_You can help us to. We have the way. Come._

"Leo, talk to me what's going on?" Rob said.

"They said they have the way," He tried to analyze all the nuances of this strange sending. They were asking him to come, not telling him, but at the same time he felt their pain and suffering. Yet he knew they weren't forcing him. They were proposing some kind of exchange. They could feel him somehow. They knew a part of him hurt, and they could fix it.

_Yes_ the affirmation felt like a physical blow forcing him back a step. _We have the way. Come!_

"They want me to go to them." Leonardo said. He knew he could refuse and go back into the center, but two things stopped him. Somehow through their sending he knew that if he didn't answer their call they would call one of his brothers. It would be the same a call for help, but it would be them answering then not him. The second thing was this offer they were making him. He didn't quite know what they were promising him, but somehow if felt important and he felt like he _needed_ what they were offering him. Without thinking about it a third time Leonardo leapt over the railing and began to wind his way through the thick evergreen trees down to the water's edge.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Siege **

**by Kellie Fay **

Yes I survived Irene my prayers go out to those who didn't weather the storm so well.

Disclaimer: Once again the TMNT is not mine. Rob and Kristi are mine. The orcas and the mermaids belong to themselves.

**Chapter 5 **

**The Summons**

_One thing I have to say about Don, he makes a great cup of coffee._ Rob sipped at his cup, and listened as the girl or rather, the young mermaid explained herself.

Of course they had to tell Kristi the whole thing now. Fortunately Benten as a matriarch had the authority to tell humans about her kind. Agnes, finally given leave to speak, explained the nature of the necklaces.

"At first they just wanted to know what Kristi and the other scientists were doing, but the necklaces worked so well, and they wanted to see other places; places they couldn't go. I swear Benten I didn't know the communications went both ways."

"It really didn't," Donatello said. "I think it only affected us because we are connected to the oceans."

"No," Benten said. "You were correct the first time my friend. They whales targeted you and your brothers when your friend explained to you how you could help him in his research."

"But we all heard it," Raphael said.

"Only after we saw the necklace for ourselves," Michelangelo thought out loud. "Then the whales could see us. Right Benten?"

A cool evening breeze caught Rob's attention. He saw the side door open and Leonardo missing from his place near the door."

The others were deep into conversations about the necklaces, so Rob got up from his chair, and slipped outside to find Leonardo.

Leonardo stood on a balcony overlooking the water below. Huge shadows of orcas moved in and around the coast, waiting for something.

Rob moved toward Leonardo, but stopped short six feet away when Leonardo suddenly turned brandishing both his katana at him.

"Leo! Relax will you! It's me!"

A little embarrassed Leonardo sheathed his swords. "Sorry," he said, "I guess I'm a little on edge."

"You've been on edge this whole trip," Rob said. He saw the slight copper flush of Leo's cheeks telling him he scored a point. "So why do you hate Benten so much?"

Now both his cheeks flared copper going into rust. "Hate her? I don't hate -"

"Leo," Rob cut him off gently. "You barely talk to her, you glare at Mikey when he teases her, when they hug her you tense up so much it's a wonder you don't explode, and you never stop watching her."

"I don't-" Again Leonardo tried to deny it, and again Rob refused to let him.

"Leo, Leo, Leo, Without meaning to all four of you have taught me when a ninja isn't looking at something that means he's watching it very closely."

Leonardo let out a huge stressed filled sigh. "You're good at reading body language, you know that?"

Rob shrugged. "Hey when all but six of your patients can't talk you have to be, and you haven't answered my question."

"I don't hate her, not really," Leonardo said. Rob continued to look at him, waiting. Leonardo sighed again. "It's just that whenever she's around I feel so out of control of myself." He turned to face the ocean again. "You know how Tara made you feel right? And Agnes a little,"

Now Rob felt a flush coming up his cheeks. Agnes was just a kid. "Yeah,"

"It's worse for us," Leonardo said, "or maybe just me." "All humans think about when a mermaid turns on their attracting powers is just about how beautiful they are, and how they want to date them, or favor them. For us it's ingrained in us through our connection to ancient sea turtles that mermaids are our masters, that we have to serve them."

Rob frowned at that thinking hard. "Leo, take it from an observer, all that got served to that kid, Agnes tonight, was a heavy dose of reprimand. Mikey was not in a serve the mermaids mode tonight. In fact he looked a little like you did when Raph busted his hand against a wall two months ago."

"I know," Leonardo said shaking his head in puzzlement. "I don't know how he and Don do that. They order the younger mermaids about and tell them no all the time, without thinking about it."

Rob noticed the missing name. "What about Raph?"

Now Leonardo laughed. "Raph treats the mermaids like his own personal little high factory. On his bad days he'll actually go to their temple on his own without Mikey to just spend time with them. He comes back ready to out cheerful Mike. It can't be good for him."

Rob again looked thoughtful. "Drinks to doesn't he?"

Leonardo didn't sound surprised this time. "He's come to you're clinic drunk?"

Rob didn't acknowledge the question. "It's about the only time he can tell you why he's flipping out right?"

Leonardo stopped, and thought about that one. "Where are you going with this?" He asked.

Rob laughed. "He's self medicating himself Leo. Granted alcohol is a lousy way to do that, but if he feels that out of control of himself he probably needs a sedative, and alcohol is a depressant."

"And the visits to the colony?" Leonardo asked, now interested.

Rob shrugged. "Speaking professionally he probably needs both counseling and medication, and the girls are doing both for him. Doesn't he end up baring his soul to one of the three of you when he's plastered?"

Leo looked positively stunned. "You're right he does, and you're right he probably needs them in a way I don't understand" Then he sighed. "But none of that changes how I feel when I look at them. I know the others are okay with the mermaids, and I know the mermaids won't harm them, but I feel so out of control of my emotions whenever they're around. It's not their fault that I feel this way, I just do."

Rob sighed wishing he could think of something he could say to make Leonardo feel better about himself.

Suddenly Leonardo looked down into the ocean a completely puzzled look on his face. "What?" He asked not Rob but the ocean below him.

"Leo what is it?" Rob asked.

_We can help you_

The thought was strong and powerful, penetrating all the emotions Leonardo just allowed to flow through him.

He turned in the direction of the thought and looked down into the water where a dozen large black shadows floated. "What?" He asked the water below.

_We understand better what you fear come we'll help you._

"Leo what is it?" Rob asked.

Leonardo ignored the man to answer the thoughts coming from the water. "I'm not a-"

_We understand. We are different. Come help us and we can help you._

The 'help us' felt like a kick in his gut. These creatures were still in pain and ill from the infections. Somehow they believed that Don could help them.

_You can help us to. We have the way. Come._

"Leo, talk to me what's going on?" Rob said.

"They said they have the way," He tried to analyze all the nuances of this strange sending. They were asking him to come, not telling him, but at the same time he felt their pain and suffering. Yet he knew they weren't forcing him. They were proposing some kind of exchange. They could feel him somehow. They knew a part of him hurt, and they could fix it.

_Yes_ the affirmation felt like a physical blow forcing him back a step. _We have the way. Come!_

"They want me to go to them." Leonardo said. He knew he could refuse and go back into the center, but two things stopped him. Somehow through their sending he knew that if he didn't answer their call they would call one of his brothers. It would be the same a call for help, but it would be them answering then not him. The second thing was this offer they were making him. He didn't quite know what they were promising him, but somehow if felt important and he felt like he _needed_ what they were offering him. Without thinking about it a third time Leonardo leapt over the railing and began to wind his way through the thick evergreen trees down to the water's edge.

"Leo!" Rob shouted and tried without much success to follow Leonardo down to the water's edge. "Leo damn it! I don't think this is a good idea."

Leonardo easily outdistanced Rob, and reached the dock. Ten of the black shadows were in the water. Two were enormous with fins on top of their back taller than Leonardo, but the one he felt addressing him looked average sized. It rolled on its side and eyed him casually. _Come_ it...no _she_ sent to him. _Swim with us, we will help each other you and we yes?_

The edges of her sending tickled his mind with whatever they were offering him. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he wanted it badly. Still logic prevailed. "I can't," he said regretfully. "Your water is too cold for me. I'm not like you. I'd fall asleep in the cold and drown."

_Ahhhh_ Again that deep feeling that they understood him. She rolled back presenting him with the fin on the top of her back, smaller than the males and curled at the top. _Touch here_ she instructed. An image filled Leonardo's mind the grey area behind the fin. Curious he did so. A deep warmth shot up his hand, and filled his entire body. _We can keep the cold from you. Swim with us yes? Help each other?_

Rob just made it down to the dock. "Leo I don't think -"

It wasn't time to think it was time to act. The offer and the means to get it lay in front of him. "I have to," he said quietly. He took two steps forward, the third would land him on the whales back.

Rob tried to grab onto him, but let go again quickly. Leonardo didn't wait for him to try again. He took that third step onto the whale's back. Years of ninjiztu training helped him keep his balance as his living transport coasted away with him.

Rob grabbed on to Leonardo. "Leo don't-WHAT THE?" Rob pulled his hand back. Leo's skin was warm! Warm like it should be August. Before he could recover and grab him again, Leonardo was on the whale's back sailing away. "Leo! WAIT LEO!" But the ninja turtle didn't even turn around.

"No anesthesia for that one never ever again." Rob swore. Then at the top of his lungs he shouted out. "RAPH DON MIKEY! GET YOUR SHELLS DOWN HERE NOW!"

Coming Soon Chapter 6 In Pursuit

The whale sent not only words but images and thoughts that Raphael couldn't understand. He looked out at his brothers floating away with the rest of the whales and then back at Rob. "There is no way I'm gonna miss out on this party." He jumped on the whales back. "Let's go."

Rob sighed watching the fourth and last ninja turtle sail away on the back of a killer whale. "If they don't come back in one piece Splinter is so going to kill me."


	7. Chapter 7

Orca Song

By Kellie Fay

The TMNT are not mine my creativity demons force me to write this stuff.

Are people reading this? *poke poke* I'm not getting many reviews.

**Chapter 6 **

**In Pursuit**

Out of the three remaining turtles Donatello possessed the best hearing. In the middle of a conversation on how they were trying to cultivate his mutated cytokine cells he suddenly heard Rob calling for them.

"Something's wrong," Donatello said standing from where he hunched over the computer. "Rob's calling for us."

"Didn't he go out with Leo?" Raphael asked.

"He's not calling for Leo," Donatello corrected him, his voice dropping to a worried chill. "He's only calling for us, and he's scared."

Raphael beat Donatello to the door with Michelangelo a close second.

"I don't understand what's wrong?" Agnes asked.

"He's not calling for Leo," Donatello explained. "That' means Leo's the one in trouble." Last turtle out Donatello helped Rob's friend Kristi down the steep slope to the dock.

"Where's Leo?" Raphael demanded. Rob pointed out to sea.

"He jumped on the back of the whale and it took off!" Rob said visibly agitated.

Kristi reached into her pocket, and grabbed a set of binoculars. "He's out there on the whale's back?"

"He's been turtle napped," Michelangelo cried out.

Donatello turned to Rob. "What happened."

"We were just talking, when he started to talk to I don't know something. He came down here, and then he jumped on the whales back!"

"Is he out of his mind?" Raphael asked snatching the binoculars from Kristi. "He's gonna freeze to death out there!"

"Worse than that," Donatello said shivering with fear. "He'll go into torpor first. He'll fall into hibernation, and drown."

_NO WARM!_

The thought felt like a knife through his brain. Donatello blinked, and looked at his three brothers and the two mermaids with him. "Did you guys just hear that too?"

"I think so," Michelangelo said. "Somebody just said warm."

_Yes warm!_

This time Donatello understood. He turned to the dock were seven more orcas floated looking at them.

_We understand. You need warm. We made him warm. Come we can make you warm to. Swim with us?_

Donatello gulped. "Guys the whales are talking to us."

"Don," Rob said warningly. "Don't get like Leo on me."

"They said they can keep us warm," Raphael said puzzled.

Michelangelo turned to Benten. "Can they do that?"

"Whales know many things, especially orcas. They do not always share them with us." Benten said looking down at the whales sternly.

_Come,_ the whale called again. _Touch here._

Those simple two words had so much meaning in them. Donatello knew that if he did what they asked that he would experience something amazing. He knelt down next to the water and gently touched the grey saddle of the whale. At first he felt a tingling in his palm which turned into a summer like warmth that spread through his entire body.

"Remarkable," Donatello said in awe. "Guys I feel warm. The whales somehow can keep us warm even in these waters."

"What?" Michelangelo reached out tentatively, and touched his brother. "Woah! That's awesome! How did they do that Don?"

"You just have to touch their saddle. That grey patch behind their dorsal fin," Donatello explained.

Michelangelo did so, and smiled broadly feeling the warm spread through him. "That is totally wicked! Hey can you guys teach me how to do that?"

Now Raphael was visibly nervous. "Don, are you sure you know what your doing?" He asked worriedly.

"They've been saying they need us to swim with them," Donatello said not looking away from the whales. "I'm not sure, but I think somehow they can take our cytokine cells and share them around, but we have to go with them."

"They told you that?" Rob asked nervously.

Donatello couldn't take his eyes off the whale inviting him to ride. "Sort of. They didn't exactly say it in words, but that's the thought that they sent to me."

"Lots of animals are sick and dying out here Donnie," Michelangelo said. "I can sense that. If we can help them by taking an orca ride lets do it!" A second orca slid up to the dock, and Michelangelo stepped on to her back. "Come on bros!" the orca swam away from the dock. From behind him Donatello heard Rob take in a nervous breath.

"Rob it's going to be okay. You'll see." Donatello said. He didn't know why he suddenly needed to reassure Rob, but he did so without thinking.

"Don?" Raphael asked worriedly.

"We can help them Raph. We just have to trust them." Very gently Donatello stepped on to the whale's back and instantly she coasted away with most of the other whales. Only one big male remained it squeaked and moved to the dock like the other one.

_You come too yes? Help like your family?_

Raphael put a hand to his head. "Man! You're gonna have to tone that down pal. I don't have half of Don's brain capacity." The whale sent not only words, but images and thoughts that Raphael couldn't understand. He looked out at his brothers floating away with the rest of the whales and then back at Rob. "There is no way I'm gonna miss out on this party." He jumped on the whales back. "Let's go."

Rob sighed watching the fourth and last ninja turtle sail away on the back of a killer whale. "If they don't come back in one piece Splinter is so going to kill me."

Benten looked at him and smiled. "You are not the only one," she reminded him, "But the orcas shall not harm our friends."

"Moonlight and the others will take good care of them you'll see." Agnes added

"Let's get in the boat and keep track of them anyway," Kristi said. She began to run along the edge of the water to find the dock where their main research vessel docked, then she stopped and looked at the young girl in shock. "Wait you know all their names?"

His ninja training helped him stay balanced on the great creatures back. Easily they cruised through the inky black water. True to their word Leonardo felt an August like warmth around his whole body, but through the souls of his feet he could feel the whale's cool damp rubbery skin. Curious he bend his knees into a crouch, and placed his hand in the water. The silky cool water flowed around his hand. He could feel the water being different from his skin, but the cold of the water did not touch him.

_We understand_ the thought told him. _You will be warm. The cold will not touch you._

"How do you do that?" Leonardo asked in a whisper. He didn't want to disturb the area with noise.

_We can_ the whale replied. Leonardo felt more through the whale's sending, a complex set of emotions that felt old, older than the Ninja Tribunal, older than the mermaids.

_The others come_ a deep male voice said satisfied. Somehow Leonardo knew it came from the larger whale that coasted along side the one he rode. A smaller whale a child he guessed swam on her other side.

"The others?" Holding on to her back fin for support, Leonardo rose from the crouch, and turned around. Behind him he saw the remaining seven whales. On three of them Leonardo saw turtle shaped silhouettes. "My brothers," Leonardo said out loud. Were they following him? If they were riding on the back of the whales did that mean they received the same invitation? "I don't understand," he said. "How can we help you?"

_You have helped us already _ the female whale sent. _Our touch gives you warmth. Your touch gives us the life within the red._

Leonardo thought he understood that. The special cells that fought off bacteria in their bodies were in his blood, _in the red_. _Somehow they managed to transfer the cells from me into them? How did they do that?" _

_You're touch_ Again the sending contained far more information than just words. It involved magic in some way. The sending held the information, but there were no words or emotions in Leonardo's experience to translate it.

"It is magic then," Leonardo asked trying to understand. "And Benten and the mermaids that live here, they don't know how to do this?"

The big male whale that paced the female and the baby let out a series of clicks that Leonardo could feel were laughter.

_Mermaids know many things. We know many things. Friends work together. The oceans thrive. _

"You know different things," Leonardo tried to translate to himself. "That's why you work together."

_Yes_ That sending came with a lot of information that Leonardo could understand, but the information itself didn't make any sense to him.

That whales didn't feel any special adoration for mermaids. They liked and respected them, yes. If the mermaids called for help they would be quick to answer, yes. Many of the family claimed friendship with several mermaids, but nothing more. The mermaids were no more important to them than hunting, playing, swimming, or telling stories. The mermaids simply moved in and out of their lives without any great significance.

Leonardo sighed slightly envious. He wished he could feel that nonchalant about Benten and her people.

_Large ones will explain_ The male whale said. Leonardo blushed. The whales obviously heard his thoughts.

_Everything in time_ the female whale sent sending soothing comforting thoughts with the words. _The families gather._

"Families?" Leonardo asked. He looked out into the distance. In the early twilight he saw what looked like tree stumps moving through the water. Then he saw they were the fins of more killer whales. Five, ten, twenty, he couldn't count them all, and his transport swam right for them.

"Holy..." Kristi broke off pressing the binoculars tighter to her eyes hoping it would make her see better.

"How many orcas are out there?" Rob asked.

Pushing her hair out of her eyes and looking at the rolling waves from the boat the younger mermaid said, "They're all from different families. I only know whales from three families around here."

"It's a super pod," Kristi said amazed. "Those four are heading into a group of several pods. There have got to be over a hundred whales out there. We're going to have to anchor out here. I can't take the boat into that."

"The orcas will not harm them," Benten said. But then she looked down at the girl. "But perhaps you should consider keeping an eye on our younger brothers."

"Yes Benten," the girl said. From behind him Rob heard a shuffling sound. He began to turn But Benten gently pushed him back to face the whales.

"For your own safety, Doctor Thomas I would suggest you do not look. She is very young and not always able to control her abilities."

"Right," Rob said with a sigh. He rested his arms on the railing of the ship and placed his head in his hands. "I knew taking in those stray dogs was a mistake, I knew it!"

Kristi looked at him puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Benten smiled watching the younger mermaid swim out to meet the whales. "That Doctor Williams is how he met Michelangelo."

**Next Chapter 7 Orca Catch **

_More we need to do_ The whale sent to Leonardo, somehow giving him a bit of energy in the process. _The large ones, further out we go._

_I caught that bro,_ Michelangelo's voice suddenly sounded in his head. _We're cool here Leo, go along with Dark Moon we'll see you later. _

It didn't surprise Leonardo that Michelangelo knew the name of the whale that carried him. What he couldn't figure out is how his brother just managed to talk in his head. Still Leonardo closed his eyes momentarily and concentrated. _Okay_ he tried to send. _See you later. _

_You'd best sit for this friend,_ The whale, Dark Moon, said. _We have a long way to swim._ Leonardo nodded then knelt down on the large whale's back. He used the tall back fin to support himself while his transport began pumping his huge tail back and forth picking up speed silently gliding through the sea.


	8. Chapter 8

Orca Song:

By Kellie Fay

Thanks for all the great Reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying this.

The TMNT belong to Nickelodeon *sigh* I'd wonder if they'd consider renting.

No animals of any kind (including mutants) were harmed in the making of this story.

**Chapter 7 **

**Orca catch**

Everywhere he looked Leonardo saw killer whales. If he wanted to he could literally use them like stepping stones and take a walk. More than a little nervous Leonardo consciously tried to control his breathing.

The female whale now made those same laughing clicks the male did before. _Peace_ She said With amusement. _None of the families mean you harm. Swim with us. We need your touch._

Leonardo thought he knew what the female whale wanted from him, but he wasn't sure. Surrounded by so many huge whales Leonardo felt a little apprehensive.

"Wahoo!" From behind him a little off to his left Leonardo heard Michelangelo crow with glee, and dove off the whale he rode into the water. Instantly one of the other whales caught him on their nose pushed him around then dove under the water. Leonardo's breath caught and held until he saw his brother surface laughing hysterically. Seconds later another whale passed by. Michelangelo grabbed on to one of the side fins, and allowed the whale to tow him a few feet before the whale shrugged him loose so he could connect with another.

_They need us to touch them._ Glancing back he saw Donatello slide off the back of his whale into the water. Raphael dove in straight away. Taking in a deep breath Leonardo followed his brothers and dove into the water filled with whales.

Instantly the dream Donatello described floating in darkness surrounded by huge black shapes came to Leonardo's mind. With so many black and white shapes moving around him he couldn't tell where one whale began and another began. A whale caught him on her nose and carried him a few feet before she released him. Remembering his purpose in the water Leonardo felt uncertain how he could approach these beings without being accidentally squashed. Trusting them Leonardo relaxed, and let whale after whale pick him up and move him around. Somehow they seemed to be able to gage his ability to hold his breath. Just before he felt he needed to breathe whatever whale held him would break the glassy surface of the water. On those occasions he could hear Michelangelo whooping it up having the time of his life. Relieved that his brothers felt safe and secure Leonardo continued to let the whales carry him about. For some reason the old child's game of 'hot potato' filled his memory. He felt exactly like that old bean bag his brothers used as the 'potato,' but in this game the purpose was not to get rid of him as fast as you could but to pass him from whale to whale until all touched him and received his cells.

After some time the large male whale from the original group slid under him and surfaced under Leonardo picking him up. Leonardo felt tired and breathless, but exhilarated at the same time.

_More we need to do_ The whale sent to Leonardo, somehow giving him a bit of energy in the process. _The large ones, further out we go._

_I caught that bro,_ Michelangelo's voice suddenly sounded in his head. _We're cool here Leo, go along with Dark Moon we'll see you later. _

It didn't surprise Leonardo that Michelangelo knew the name of the whale that carried him. What he couldn't figure out is how his brother just managed to talk in his head. Still Leonardo closed his eyes momentarily and concentrated. _Okay_ he tried to send. _See you later. _

_You'd best sit for this friend,_ The whale, Dark Moon, said. _We have a long way to swim._ Leonardo nodded then knelt down on the large whale's back. He used the tall back fin to support himself while his transport began pumping his huge tail back and forth picking up speed silently gliding through the sea.

Donatello wondered why Michelangelo wore his famous 'cat that swallowed the canary' look watching Leonardo and his whale speed off away from the rising sun. The whale he rode began to gently pace Michelangelo's whale. After a few seconds Raphael on a male followed.

"Mikey was I hearing things or did Leo actually pick up your telepathy this time?" Raphael asked.

Still wearing that 'I did something totally wicked' grin he answered, "Better than that Raph Leo answered me."

That puzzled Donatello even more. "But I thought Leo could never relax enough to hear ocean speak."

"Normally yeah," Michelangelo reached down and patted a fourth whale that joined them. "But Moonlight and Darkmoon have been pouring whale talk in Leo's head for most of the night. It's not exactly the same as regular ocean speak, but Leo's not thinking about Benten right now so he's not so stressed now."

"I don't believe it," Raphael said shaking his head. "Being in the room with only one mermaid who doesn't even look at him freaks him out, and being the ball in a killer whale game of catch doesn't?"

"Did it freak you out?" Donatello asked with a grin. He knew the answer to that. It didn't. He didn't even have an word in his vast vocabulary to describe the emotion he felt right now, but it felt good. "I'm not sure how much experience you've had with the animals in Benten's colony, but the orcas are definitely not the same. They're not even the same as the dolphins."

_We are ourselves, not like others._ The whale he rode commented.

Michelangelo chuckled hearing Donatello's whale. "You don't have to tell me that Don I know, but somehow I can't help thinking that a good thing where Leo's concerned."

"Man!" Raphael still watching Leonardo and his whale sail out to the open ocean. "They're really picking up speed." He looked down at the whale he rode. "Where is he taking our brother?"

"It's cool Raph," Michelangelo said unconcerned. "Leo and Darkmoon have a few miles to go before they meet up with who Leo's gotta heal, and our job isn't done yet either. There are lots of other dudes around here that need help."

"Our friends have our assignments I gather?" Donatello said.

_Yes,_ The whale he rode sent back. _We go._

"Meet you back at the research center guys," Michelangelo said giggling then to his whale he said. "High ho Shadow! Away!"

The whale chuckled sending clicks out it's blowhole. It sailed away from the others heading for a cove near the mainland.

Sounding a little worried Michelangelo asked, "Do you think I should have told Don and Raph what Darkmoon really had in mind for Leo?"

He received the whales version of a shrug. _You chose_ Shadow said calmly.

"I know," Michelangelo answered. "I didn't think they'd get it. I mean I think Don got a little nervous when he realized how different you are from even the dolphins we know."

_Not so different, but yes_ Shadow said with another chuckle. _Little cousins say yes to _everything!

Michelangelo laughed. Shadow knew what she was talking about. The dolphins back in the New York Colony could say no to mermaids any time they wanted to, but they were always happy friendly, and cheerful to almost anyone. Like himself they _never_ said no to anyone. The orcas had their own reasons for doing what they did. The mermaids were their allies but the orcas were more concerned with keeping their family, pod Don would say, whole well fed and together. Sometimes that meant running counter to a mermaid's wishes, but usually the whales took up the argument with the local matriarch of the mermaids.

In a way the orcas were...well they were more like him. He remembered at five not being able to recall much of anything except the desire to be with Lillian his first mermaid friend, and to obey her even if that meant staying with Splinter. At seven when he encountered them again They explained why they left him behind and that he understood. He didn't want to make Splinter unhappy either. When he grew older he found it easier and easier just to deal with mermaids as friends. The more they taught him about the ocean the easier it became. He couldn't tell exactly when the automatic adoration became. 'Hon I love you but we're doing this _my way,_' but he knew that this was the piece of the puzzle his eldest brother sorely lacked. Donatello somehow got it right away, and never had a problem arguing with any of the mermaids if he thought they were wrong. Raphael...well he didn't know if Raphael got it at all. Raphael reveled in what Michelangelo called their 'mermaid high,' and he understood how intoxicating the sensation of being loved, protected, and letting someone else do all the thinking felt. Somehow though Michelangelo knew that if a mermaid ever did put herself in danger for them Raphael would instantly switch modes, and tell her in no uncertain terms that he was boss now.

Leonardo never went through those stages. At the first signs of the automatic instinct Leonardo peddled backwards, and fought against the instincts tooth and nail. He couldn't understand he had to go through the instinct to come out the other end. When Moonlight and her family noticed that watching them even back in New York, she knew that the best way to get the ninja turtles to help them, was to get Leonardo past this mental roadblock.

An old mermaid saying stated 'the bigger the whale the more it thinks.' Michelangelo now understood that saying. Smaller dolphins were more chatterboxes like himself. Orcas only said what they had to, and they thought a lot about stuff he didn't understand. Michelangelo was sure that Donatello was having a field day talking about stuff with his whale. Shadow warned him that the bigger whales were positively ponderous both in size and thought. Mostly humpbacks told stories. The other whales didn't really converse they just _thought_ together without real words almost as one mind. Even for an orca the effect of being near a large group of big whales, and hearing their speak, felt overwhelming. Only the bravest and strongest families could hunt the great whales.

_I hope you're ready for this o' brother mine,_ Michelangelo thought. _Cuz you are not going to know what hit you._

_Michelangelo we are here,_ Shadow informed him. He looked up to see about fifty seals and sea lions on the rocks around the cove. Michelangelo could instantly feel their thoughts. These guys were like him. No matter what they wanted to have fun.

Getting ready to jump off Shadow's back Michelangelo grinned and said, "All right guys, time for a little game of who can tag a turtle!"

Very rarely in his life did Donatello feel in over his head. Now with dozens of sea otters clamoring all over him he knew what the term meant, and he loved every minute of it.

_Donatello they itch. Get down,_ his whale, Lightning, requested. She then sunk deep under the water dislodging Donatello and his passengers.

"Hey wait a minute Lightning!" Donatello protested while the otters still tried to climb over his head and shell.

_What? You can swim_ Lightning answered with a whalish chuckle.

"Yeah I can swim, but not with ten otters on my head," Donatello complained.

_Be an otter then,_ she suggested.

Donatello finally had to dive under the water to dislodge all the otters from him. _If you haven't noticed I have a shell,_ he told her switching to their telepathy or like Michelangelo liked to call it ocean speak, _I don't float on my back well in fact I don't think that its possible. I don't think my brothers and I have ever done it._

_Limited beings aren't you?_ Shadow sent playfully.

Donatello's head broke the surface again. "Look Lightning all I'm asking for is a little support."

_Very well_ Lightning heaved a huge breath sending spray up into the air. Slowly she slid next to Donatello offering him her large muscular tail. Donatello reached out with one hand to the tail avoiding her flukes, he needed the support of her muscles. With his other hand he reached out and said, "Okay guys line up, one touch then please move along." The otters instantly understood the idea and they formed as line, and one by one slid under his fingers receiving their cure.

"Oh great," Raphael said looking out to see the huge creatures in front of them. "Who exactly made these assignments?" He asked his whale.

_Donatello, tends otters. Michelangelo tends sea lions and others. Leonardo tends the great ones. _

Raphael wished he could understand all the nuances of the whale's sending. He felt something about the ones Leonardo went to go meet that made him wonder. "Why do I get the feeling you guys and Mikey aren't telling me everything about what Leo's gonna do?"

The sensation the whale gave to him felt like a shrug. _Great ones hold knowledge. They will learn. He will learn. All is good._

Again Raphael could feel the whale send some emotion with his thoughts that Raphael didn't quite understand, but he trusted the whales to take care of his brother. Looking up at his quarry he asked, "So I'll ask again, how did I get this job? Those guys are huge!"

_Not so big_ the whale counted. Raphael looked down at his companion and laughed.

"Maybe not to a twelve thousand pound whale they're not so big, but to a hundred and eighty pound turtle they are."

_You just need to make them respect you. Start with the one in the center. You can do this, you even have your own tusks._

Raphael looked down at his sai and shrugged. "Now I know why I got picked for this one." Then looking in the water he said, "Hey aren't you a little too close to the beach? The water here is pretty shallow."

_Been in less. Some of us hunt seals from beaches. I can do this and so can you._

Raphael nodded going in to 'business mode.' He jumped into the water, and one last time gently touched the grey patch behind the male's tall fin warming himself. He waded the last several feet until he was face to face with the huge bull walrus surrounded by others.

"All right big boy," Raphael said drawing his sai, "Let's get this over with."

"Why do I gotta do them?" Michelangelo protested

_You have the authority of a mermaid matriarch,_ Shadow reminded him. _They will respect that. You did fine before._

"Yeah well seals are more fun." Giving Shadow one last pat on her saddle for warmth Michelangelo jumped into the waste deep water. Shadow retreated a few feet out into deeper water. Michelangelo swam, then waded up to the shore. He paused a few seconds steeling his nerve. _Man, knowing you have the authority of a matriarch does not make you feel any better when standing in front of a dozen polar bears._

"Um hi guys. Old Doctor Mikey is here to make you feel better. No eating the turtle with all those nice bacteria fighting cells in him."

Shadow laughed from the water. _Michelangelo, if they eat you I will eat them!_

"Yeah like a killer whale is actually picky about her diet," Michelangelo shot back. He still felt a little too much like a tasty snake for these creatures, when suddenly he heard a sad pitiful cry. He looked to his left and saw two female polar bears each with her own pair of cubs. One cub for some reason lagged far behind the others. It lay sprawled against the cold hard ground and cried. It's mother went back and tried to nudge it to move, but it lay where it fell crying.

Michelangelo's fears melted. Ignoring the larger bears he instantly moved to the side of this mother and her half grown cub. He couldn't lift the huge cub up, but he reached down and gave it one of his deep hugs. Once his fears left him, he could feel the ocean again, and the bears all around him asking for help, without a single violent thought in their minds. Their sendings didn't feel strong like other sea creatures, but he understood them, and they understood him.

The mother bear moved over and nudged his arm. Releasing the cub with one hand Michelangelo reached out and pet the mother. Then he rose to his feet and began hugging and petting the bears one by one.

[**Authors Note:** I do not advocate under any circumstances going up and petting wild animals of any type. I don't think anyone out there has the authority of a mermaid matriarch, and if you do I'm sure you're not telling.]

Coming Soon: **Chapter 8 **

**The Great ones**

_One more thing,_ Dark Moon told him while he warmed himself on the whale, _for you._

"For me?" Leonardo echoed. "I don't understand." But Dark Moon swam off again waiting a considerable distance away. For a moment Leonardo considered swimming after him, but something touched his feet, and he found himself on the back of the biggest whale he'd ever seen.

_Yes for you_ The whale said.


	9. Chapter 9

**Orca Song**

By Kellie Fay

The TMNT do not belong to me.

Doesn't anybody like this story? I'm not getting much in the way of reviews. Ahh well.

**Chapter 8 **

**The Great ones **

Leonardo didn't know how far he and Dark Moon traveled. The sun shown in the morning sky making the water sparkle like a thousands jewels. _I wonder what time it is,_ Leonardo thought to himself.

_It is spring_ The whale under him said gently. _In the summer there is no dark at all, it is always light._

Leonardo shrugged. "I'll have to ask Don about it later," he said. He felt a little impatient, but he refused to stoop to Michelangelo's level, and ask, 'are we there yet?'

_Be easy. We are near. They approach._

Leonardo expected to see tall dorsal fins like the orcas, but he didn't. All he saw were floating islands. Creatures big enough to be small land masses. Watching them approach all thought left Leonardo's mind. Their size made the whale he rode look like a toy, and he had to swim with them?

A huge blue grey whale almost the size of the Tricerton base ships slid next to the orca he rode on. It rolled over on it's side to look at him eye to eye.

_Peace_ it said, the voice in his mind felt definitely masculine. With the single word came an emotion so powerful it filled his entire being. Leonardo felt glad that he now sat on the orca's back instead of standing. That one word sending would have probably caused him to fall. Every bit of apprehension fell from his mind. The whales understood how small he felt compared to them, they wouldn't hurt him, they needed him. He couldn't feel any tension at all in his mind. One by one the great whales began to sing. It filled his ears, his mind, his heart with a beautiful timeless peace. Without even thinking about it he slid gently into the water and floated there relaxed, and calm waiting for the whales to come to him.

Rob Thomas paced back and forth on the dock nervously waiting for some sign that any of the ninja turtles were alive and on their way back. The superpod broke up just before dawn, and four of the whales the young mermaid knew each took a turtle and sped off in different directions. Agnes joined them slightly put out. "Moon light wouldn't let me follow Leonardo," the girl complained. "She told me I wasn't allowed to."

Considering what Leonardo told him before he took his orca joy ride he looked at the pair of mermaids confused. "I thought sea creatures couldn't say no to you guys?"

Agnes looked at him perplexed. "Who told you that? Who ever it was didn't know any whales. Orcas are the bossiest creatures in the oceans."

"Well it was Leo, and before tonight no he didn't know any whales." Rob turned to Benten. "He told me Mike and Don argue with your people, but for some reason he had problems with it."

Benten nodded sadly. "Leonardo has never allowed himself to fully feel the ocean's song. He does not wish to give up control of himself to the song. For the only way to understand the song it to give yourself up to it. For this reason he often feels at odds with not only my people but also with himself."

Rob looked back at Benten blankly. "I'm not supposed to understand any of that, am I?" He asked.

Benten shrugged. "It is a mermaid thing."

Kristi still searching the horizon with her binoculars suddenly pointed. "Look there's one of them."

Rob snatched the binoculars out of her hand, and looked. "It's Don."

Minutes later the whale bearing Donatello glided up to the dock. Donatello sat in a lotus position head down eyes closed breathing deeply.

"Don?" Rob reached out and grabbed Donatello by his shoulder. "Come on Don now is not the time to meditate!"

Instantly Donatello blinked sleepily and looked up almost confused at seeing Rob. "Huh? Oh we're back."

"Yes your back," he said helping his friend to his feet. "Where are Leo and the others?"

"We had to help the others," Donatello said dreamily. Even on his feet his eyes drifted shut again. He obviously needed sleep.

Rob shook him again gently. "Come on Don, stay awake for me a bit longer. Where are the others."

"Mikey had two stops," Donatello answered with his eyes shut, reacting not thinking. "Raph's they said was going to be difficult. Leo is going to be late, they had to travel a few miles to meet them."

"Meet who?" Rob said giving Don another little shake.

"The Great Ones," Donatello answered then rubbed his eyes. "Rob I need to sleep."

"Let's get him inside," Kristi said. They guided the exhausted turtle up to the research center and lay him on a spare cot.

Rob looked down at Agnes. "What did he mean when he said the Great Ones?"

"You guys call them Baleen whales." Agnes said.

"Indeed," Benten said smiling. She looked at the girl. "Did your friends plan to take Leonardo among the Baleen from the beginning or did they decided that later?"

"I don't know they didn't tell me. I've never met the Baleen myself."

"What's going on," Rob said nervous again. "What's the deal with the Baleen whales?"

"It is said among my people," Benten explained, "That the larger the whale, the more it thinks, and the deeper a whale dives the deeper it's thoughts. The Baleen keep to themselves a great deal, and think many things. They understand things that are still yet mysteries to my people who guard the seas. To be invited to see any of the Baleen is to be invited to listen to a great guru or sensei of your people. I believe that when Leonardo returns his inability to hear the ocean's song will no longer be an obstacle.

Swimming among the orcas Leonardo felt like a toy ball being past back and forth. When he first saw the giant whales he felt more like the smallest of marbles, now he felt no bigger than a speck of dust. Even so the whales treated him very gently. One by one the huge beings surfaced under him carrying him up above the surface of the water, they would transport him for a few yards then dive again leaving him floating waiting for the next whale. He barely registered the number and variety of giant whales around him, somewhere in the back of his brain he made a note that he and Donatello were later going to look through a book on whales so he would know the names of the creatures he met here. The rest of his mind filled with the sounds, the songs and the thoughts of these creatures. They never stopped thinking at each other, and he could hear everything. He just didn't understand it. Images, feelings, ideas, a great many of which didn't make any sense to him, flowed through his mind at breakneck speeds. He felt like a leaf blowing through a tornado, and yet the sensation also felt relaxing and peaceful.

After he didn't know how long the cold of the water started to seep through the magic protections the orca gave him. Most of the other whales seemed to have vanished, but when Dark Moon moved to offer him the warm grey patch on his back again, he didn't pick Leonardo up.

_One more thing,_ Dark Moon told him while he warmed himself on the whale, _for you._

"For me?" Leonardo echoed. "I don't understand." But Dark Moon swam off again waiting a considerable distance away. For a moment Leonardo considered swimming after him, but something touched his feet, and he found himself on the back of the biggest whale he'd ever seen.

_Yes for you_ The whale said.

Leonardo could tell by the mind voice this whale spoke to them when they first arrived and infected him with a deep peace that still lingered in him. "I don't understand," he said softly. He felt like he sat in front of a sensei and couldn't quite grasp the lesson.

_You hold yourself apart from the sea._ The great whale said. _You do this though it pains you why?_

Leonardo sighed. Now he understood "This is about Benten and the mermaids isn't it." He took in a deep breath. "I understand why they are important to the oceans and your people, but I want to be in control of myself. I have to be."

The whale let loose a huge spray smelling of salt and algae. Leonardo suddenly got the distinct impression the whale just laughed at him. Without using words the large whale told Leonardo the exact same thing the orcas did when he first began to travel with them. The mermaids were _not_ the most important thing in their lives. The mermaids were simply there a part of the ocean just like their food and families.

"I wish I could understand that," Leonardo said. "I know I hurt my brothers, and the mermaids by feeling so nervous around them, but I can't help it."

_You hurt too,_ the whale told him. _Fear is your enemy. Release the fear, and the whole ocean will swim with you._

Leonardo shook his head, he hated being so thick about something. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

The whale pondered this a second then it asked, _trust us? Trust us as you trust your sire?_ The image of Master Splinter and all the emotions he ever associated with his beloved father flashed through his mind. They wanted to him to trust them like he trusted the being that cared for them all and taught him all he knew. Oddly enough he didn't think about it for long. These creatures could have killed him, and yet they chose not too.

"All right," he said. Again the feeling that he was in some kind of lesson, flashed through his mind, but Master Splinter said he should try to learn from every experience life threw at him, so this was no different. "I trust you. What do you wish me to do?"

_Sing with us, share songs, thoughts, senses. Sing as one with us open heart mind spirit all. Hold nothing back._

_Whales ask for nothing small that's for sure,_ Leonardo thought to himself, though he knew the whales could read it. They asked him to give up every defense he ever developed in his life and simply let these creatures penetrate his soul to see what they could find there. Yet Leonardo sensed that if he did so they would give him something also. The whale wanted to _teach_ him something, something he knew he needed, and he knew what Master Splinter would tell him if he could be here. _When someone offers to teach you my son, accept the position of student and open your heart to learning. All life is learning my son, and a sensei willing to teach you is a great honor, and should be accepted._

Leonardo nodded even though he knew Splinter sat hundreds of miles away in their lair. He nodded again at the great whale under him, and pulled himself into his familiar lotus pose. He closed his eyes and released any protections he held over his mind, heart, and spirit. _Teach me,_ he said silently to the whales.

Suddenly he could no longer feel his own body around him. His body felt different. The outer edges were cold but within a deep warmth resided. Legs and arms no longer existed instead a powerful tail pumped slowly through the water propelling him along. All the things he knew suddenly felt immaterial. Time, distance, good, evil, seemed simply irrelevant. The only things that held any importance were food, family, and thought.

Before he could completely grasp the concept his mind expanded until he didn't feel the body of one whale around him but the whole family. Family, and thoughts still existed in his mind but food seemed to be less important. Each individual's stomach belonged to them, but the family enjoyed each other's company. They passed stories down from whale to calf, each time learning more and more about themselves and each other.

Then the minds of all the families of whales in the world now engulfed him. The different whales traded stories again learning and growing doing so. Even the orcas who hunted them occasionally listened and learned from the stories. The others understood the whales needed food for life even if it meant their lives. All things were one.

The sensations grew again. He could feel every living creature in the ocean. Creatures eating and being eaten, all understood. That was how life existed. All ate or were eaten. More importantly they lived their lives a part of the whole ocean at one with all other living things. Even the mermaids were part of this. Here within the expanse of the whole ocean the mermaids were simply there, no more or less important than the tiny krill the whales ate. Their purpose was simply theirs. Others who belonged to the ocean helped but no more and no less.

Now the entire Earth, and all it's creatures lay before him. All the creatures of the sea, sky, and land existed within his mind. The lion taking down the zebra, the zebra giving the lion life, a blue jay chasing a crow from it's nest, the crow being denied a meal. He could even feel the plants absorbing the sunshine and making their food. Through this incredible mosaic somehow he managed to feel Master Splinter, April, Casey, his brothers, even Rob, and his friend Kristi existed right now within his mind. Just like when he felt only the ocean the mermaids existed here too, but they seemed smaller to him. Just another part of the whole.

Still the world expanded, and this time his thoughts dictated where they would go. The whales always knew the Earth didn't exist alone in the universe. They always saw the moving lights in the sky and knew that other living creatures came to Earth from the stars. They even knew about the Utrom crash landing on Earth centuries ago, but before he came to them none of the whales had met anyone who had set foot on another planet. Now he could show them, D'hoonib, The Tricerton home world, The Utrom home world, all the adventures he and his brothers experienced. They pushed out further. He showed the whales the Battle Nexus and Usagi's world, and the worlds they traveled to with Renet. Then all at once the entire Multiverse shrank and condensed, and he remembered himself Leonardo teenage mutant ninja turtle of the planet Earth.

He reached out, and despite still sitting lotus style, he placed his hands on the whale's back for support. His mind spun with the enormity of what he felt in his vision. He couldn't process it all, and yet now back essentially in his own body he felt very small and lost.

_No,_ the whale said gently cool and calm as ever. Leonardo's eyes closed soothed by the whales sending. _We are a part of all of it. We make this...multiverse you showed us, what it is. If you were not a part of it all things would be diminished. _

_I suppose,_ Leonardo sent back. His mind felt too full to try to talk right now. _How do you hold that all inside you?_

_We all hold it, it is apart of all of us, we just need to flow with it. Do you see that now?_

He knew what the whale meant. Could he deal with Benten and her people now. Only now did he understand why he feared his emotions before. One had to accept the mermaids as a part of one's self before they could understand how the mermaids fit into their own lives. _It's a tunnel_ Leonardo thought to himself. _A tunnel I couldn't go through because I couldn't see the other end. Somehow my brothers managed to go through it, but I kept myself on the wrong side._ Now the mermaids were no more important to him than...well Casey. Casey was Raph's best friend, but they were friends too. Benten and her people were Mikey's friends, and that's all they were, friends not masters.

_Good_ the whale said sounding satisfied. _Dark Moon comes soon, but before you go could you scratch?_ Through the sending Leonardo felt a part of the whale's back were some itchy barnacles were lodged into the whale's skin.

_Of course._ With a small chuckle Leonardo began to scratch around the itchy creatures, then thinking it over, pulled a shurikin from his belt pouch and used it to pry the creatures off.

_Oh yes! Thank you!_ The whale said radiating relief. Leonardo managed to pop off four more barnacles before Dark Moon glided up next to them. Both whales dove leaving Leonardo floating in the water until Dark moon picked him up. Looking back he saw the whale's massive tail strike the water and disappear into the depths.

_Thank you,_ Leonardo said trying to put all his feelings behind the thoughts. He curled himself back into the lotus position on Dark Moon's back and for a moment contemplated the water, while the whale changed direction gliding back to the island. _Dark Moon, can you keep me from falling off your back even if I relaxed a bit?_

The whale didn't bother with words he just sent an affirmative with a bit of an inquiry. _I think I need to meditate._ Leonardo explained. Dark Moon with a laugh reassured Leonardo that he could carry him without trouble and it would be some time before they made it to the island. _Good. Thanks._ Leonardo moved into his normal position and closed his eyes again. Once he felt centered he dove into the multitude of knowledge that he received during the great whale's lesson.

Coming Soon

Chapter 9: Returning Turtles

Suddenly Michelangelo stirred. "Leo?" He asked.

Benten knelt down and stroked Michelangelo's forehead. "Your brother is not back yet from his pilgrimage, little brother. Go back to sleep."

"No, wait Benten, I felt him." Michelangelo insisted. "Just for a second, he was here, all over here. I..."

"Shhhh," Benten continued to sooth Michelangelo. "Do not worry Michelangelo. Sleep. I will keep watch for Leonardo."

Michelangelo looked confused, then yawned put his head back down, and fell back asleep.

"Benten?" Raphael said now fighting sleep himself. "I...I thought I just saw Leo too. Just for a second, but I saw him. I thought I was dreaming."

"I understand what it is that you and your brother have sensed," Benten said, "It can wait until you have both rested. Sleep now."


	10. Chapter 10

**Orca Song**

By Kellie Fay

The TMNT belong to Nickelodeon *sigh* I think. Or someone else, just not me.

Reviews will make the insecure author very happy.

**Chapter 9**

**Returning Turtles **

Raphael didn't have the energy to protest when Kristi pricked his finger for a simple microscopic blood test, and Rob gave him a shot.

Rob couldn't help but laugh. "Man I wish it was always this easy to treat Raphael. Usually he's trying to get off the table before I can finish bandaging him up."

"Yeah," Raphael muttered leaning on Benten because he really couldn't keep sitting up. "Just wait until I've had a few hours to nap Doc and then we'll have a talk. What's the shot for?"

"It's that multivitamin complex Don and I came up with. You're supposed to get it next week, but if your blood test comes back like Don's and Mike's did you're missing half your normal cytokine cell count. I'd rather not find out if you four can catch whatever is going around out there. Hey Agnes, can you convince one or two of your whale friends to let me get a blood sample from them. I'd really like to know if they did pull the guys cells into them."

"What for Rob, we can't exactly publish this?" Kristi asked with a laugh. "Amazing cure using orca magic to transfer mutant turtle cells into sea mammal populations! No real scientists in the world is going to believe us!"

"I'm not going to tell anyone," Rob said defensively. "I just want to know. Don's probably going to want to know too."

"I wish to know also Doctor Thomas," said Benten. "This information may one day serve my charges in other parts of the world."

"Are you guys done poking me? Can I go to bed now?" Raphael muttered with a yawn.

Benten laughed. "Come Raphael Agnes has placed a sleeping bag here next to your brothers."

Suddenly Michelangelo stirred. "Leo?" He asked.

Benten knelt down and stroked Michelangelo's forehead. "Your brother is not back yet from his pilgrimage, little brother. Go back to sleep."

"No, wait Benten, I felt him." Michelangelo insisted. "Just for a second, he was here, all over here. I..."

"Shhhh," Benten continued to sooth Michelangelo. "Do not worry Michelangelo. Sleep. I will keep watch for Leonardo."

Michelangelo looked confused, then yawned, put his head back down, and fell back asleep.

"Benten?" Raphael said now fighting sleep himself. "I...I thought I just saw Leo too. Just for a second, but I saw him. I thought I was dreaming."

"I understand what it is that you and your brother have sensed," Benten said, "It can wait until you have both rested. Sleep now."

Raphael nodded his eyes already closed. Rob swore he started snoring before his head hit the pillow. Then he looked at Benten and asked. "So what did Mike and Raph exactly see?"

Benten sighed. "The Great whales do not describe things with words so it is difficult to explain. They are teaching Leonardo how they view all things as part of a whole. His physical form may be with them, but his spirit is traveling with the great whales across time and space. For that small fraction of a second Leonardo was here in the room with us, and at the same time he most likely was with his Father in New York City."

"Right," Rob said shaking his head. "You know on second thought Benten, I don't think I want to know."

"Do not be worried Doctor Thomas," Benten said with a smile. "Leonardo is well. He will return to us soon."

"Four hours is not soon." Rob complained pacing the length of the research stations porch.

"To a whale it probably is," Donatello said sipping soup from a cup. "Don't worry Rob, Benten would tell us if something was wrong with Leo. She wouldn't let anything hurt us."

Rob wished he could feel the same confidence Donatello felt. Leonardo mentioned that part of this mermaid thing came with this absolute trust in Benten. Were the turtles right in their faith in this being? Rob wish he could understand better.

"Don! Doctor Thomas! Dark Moon is coming back!" Agnes said.

"With Leo?" Rob asked nervous.

Agnes glared at Rob for a second. "Of course with Leo!"

Donatello bit back a laugh, and put his mug down. "Let's get to the dock."

They reached the dock just in time to meet the large male Orca swimming up with Leonardo. Leonardo sat calmly on the whale's back of all things meditating. Rob had accused Donatello of the same thing when he first arrived, but Donatello knew for a fact that when he rode up to the dock he had been nearly asleep. For some reason Donatello didn't think that was true for Leonardo.

The whale stopped just at the dock and made a series of low clicks and whistles. Instantly Leonardo lifted his head, and opened his eyes. "Oh, we're back?" He said sounding dazed.

"Yeah you're back," Donatello said offering his brother his hand. "You okay Leo?"

"Yeah," Leonardo rose to his feet holding still a few seconds more to regain his balanced. "Just tired."

"I know that feeling," Donatello said with a chuckle. He led Leonardo up the path to the research center. Rob insisted that Leonardo sit down while they took a drop of blood from him.

"Just stay with us a little longer Leo," Donatello said evenly. "Rob just wants to check a few things out."

"Hmmmm," Leonardo's eyes were closed and his head dropped down onto his plastron, but he offered Donatello his hand when asked, and breathed deeply when he placed a stethoscope against his plastron. He did manage to open his eyes when Rob plunged the vitamin supplement into his arm, but he didn't complain a bit. "A shot?" He asked.

"It's just our vitamin supplement," Donatello said with a grin.

"Oh," Leonardo answered. He closed his eyes again, and leaned into his brother.

"Come on Leo, bed time for you." Donatello said. With Rob's help he set Leonardo down into the cot he used when he first arrived back at the center. When Benten drew near to check on him, Leonardo opened his eyes again. "Benten?" He asked sleepily.

"I am here, Leonardo," she said gently.

Leonardo closed his eyes again. "Sorry," he said he reaching out one hand.

She took his hand, and he squeezed before dropping completely into sleep.

"What was that all about?" Donatello asked Benten watching her tuck Leonardo in.

"I do not know little brother," Benten answered looking at Leonardo amused. "It seemed to be something your brother needed to tell me. Perhaps we will understand better when he awakens later."


	11. Chapter 11

**Orca song **

By Kellie Fay

Disclaimer: The TMNT do not belong to me. *sigh*

Come on I know there are people who like to review out there! Review Please!

**Chapter 10 Adaptation**

Raphael drank the coffee standing up not taking his eyes off of the cot where Leonardo still slept oblivious to the world.

_This is so ain't normal it's scary_. Raphael thought to himself. For the third time that night he glanced over where Benten, Donatello, Rob and his friend were hunched over blood samples. "Benten," He began.

Benten sighed, "Yes Raphael I am sure Leonardo is fine. His ordeal was not the same as yours. It is very difficult to converse with the great whales. He is exhausted in mind, body and sprit and he does need to rest."

"Yeah I know, but Benten it's been twelve hours," Raphael answered nervously. "And you know he never sleeps when you're around."

"I know Raphael, but do you truly wish to waken your brother if he sleeping peacefully?"

"That's why this ain't normal Benten," Raphael argued back. "Leo is never relaxed if we ain't at home. Something's gotta be wrong with him."

"I sensed nothing, but a great deal of dreaming, Raphael," Benten said trying to reassure him. "When Michelangelo woke before he told you the same thing. If it is possible it is best we leave him to the dreams. It will be better for him when he wakes."

"I might want to wake him up for a little bit anyway," Rob said. "Don if we want to keep our results accurate we'll need a twelve-hour cytokine cell count from him too, and I am not poking holes in your brother when he's unconscious."

Raphael couldn't help but grin at that one. "Yeah the last time you tried that it was with me, and I almost returned the favor."

"Hence the rule no weapons the same room with Rob and his patients." Donatello said keeping the snicker out of his voice.

Raphael allowed the grin to turn into a smile but then looking at Leonardo he turned serious again. "So you want I should wake him or what?"

Just then he heard a small groan come from the cot. He snapped around to see his brother's eyes open. Leonardo turned, his head and looked directly at Raphael. "Raph?" Leonardo asked.

Raphael moved instantly to Leonardo's side. Donatello quickly followed. "Leo?"

"Raph?" At least this time Leonardo sounded a little more coherent. Leonardo tried to sit up. Raphael put his hand to his brother's shell to help him. Donatello shoved another cushion back behind him.

"You back with us bro?" Raphael asked concerned. He relaxed feeling Leonardo's balance and stability come back sitting up in the bed.

"I think so," Leonardo said. He leaned forward, and brought his hands up to his head. "My head feels like it's going to explode."

"I'll get you an aspirin," Donatello offered rising to his feet. Leonardo managed to catch his hand and shake his head slowly.

"No, not pain, Don, just . . . too much."

Donatello and Raphael exchanged a glance. What on Earth did Leonardo mean? "What do you need Leo?" Donatello asked gently.

"Some water maybe?" Leonardo asked.

Don started to relax. "How about something to eat too?"

Leonardo smiled. "That sounds good to Don."

Raphael watched Donatello bring the water, Then he and Rob looked Leonardo over thoroughly. Leonardo calmly waited for them to take his blood, and blood pressure and listen to his breathing again. Then Donatello brought over what seemed to be the staples of the research center, smoked salmon, a box of Ritz, some pickles, and a mug of soup. Leonardo ate like he and the others did when they woke like a starving turtle. All though the meal however, Raphael couldn't help but notice that Leonardo's eyes would go vacant when he chewed. Raphael could tell something troubled his brother, but the spells would only last for a few seconds then Leonardo would look directly at Don, Rob, or the food again and continue the conversation.

"Rob, can you ask your friend if there is a book on whales around here? I'd like to know who I saw." Leonardo asked.

They easily found a book and Leonardo pointed out about ten different species of whales. They were shocked to hear that Leonardo spoke with a blue whale.

"It is a great honor to meet the greatest of whales," Benten said with a smile. She didn't say anything else. Leonardo blushed slightly.

"I guess," he said shyly. "He told me so much. I still can't make sense of most of it. It's like there's almost too much in my head right now."

"Not uncommon when some of my sisters have met the greater whales." Benten said. "Even I do not understand all said to me when I first met the greater whales."

That simple statement made Leonardo relax. It also sent major warning bells off in Raphael's mind. _Leo is relaxed. Benten is ten paces away from him talking to him, and he's fine with it!_

Donatello noticed too. "But your feeling okay now. Right Leo?"

That funny blank expression crossed Leonardo's face for a second. "I guess. I'm still kind of tired. Do you guys need me for anything right now? I'd rather lay her a little longer."

Raphael translated mentally in his head exactly what he thought Leonardo really meant. _I'll get up and be normal if you want me to guys, but I really don't want to._

"It's okay Leo," Donatello said gently. "Rob and I are still looking over the data, and he wants us to rest up a few days. Doctor Williams said that she and Agnes are on station all this week and except for supply runs no one else is supposed to be around. Go back to sleep if you want to."

"Thanks Don," Leonardo snuggled back down into the covers, but he didn't close his eyes. Instead he watched the movement of Donatello, Rob and Kristi, with a mild sleepy interest. After a few seconds though Raphael could tell that even though Leonardo was watching and listening to them, a large portion of his mind seemed to be elsewhere working over something he needed to think about.

Raphael didn't know what to do about this calm, sleepy relaxed and definitely weird Leo. The fact that Benten passed close by twice to Leonardo's bed, and he didn't tense up seriously worried Raphael. Then without warning Leonardo blinked and looked at Raphael hard.

"I'm fine Raph. Go back to sleep."

Raphael didn't feel like going back to sleep. He wanted to shake Leonardo, and figure out what the shell was wrong with him, but taken aback by the fact that Leonardo knew how he felt, Raphael decided to put some walls between him and his brother. He slipped outside and tried to let the cool night settle his restless spirit.

Michelangelo came out two seconds later.

Raph spun around desperate to vent. "Mikey did-"

"Hold it Raph," Michelangelo said. "Before you go completely into your rant you need to do something." Michelangelo's tone told Raphael that right now the ocean flowed in and out of Michelangelo's mind. When he got into that mode he could do the weirdest things, like read their minds, or talk to sea creatures. Raphael paused and waited for instructions.

Michelangelo smiled satisfied. "Okay Raph, close your eyes." When he did so Michelangelo said, "Okay now find your center." Simple they've been doing that since they were seven. "Okay now," Michelangelo continued. "I want you to imagine both halves of your shell around your center so what your thinking and feeling doesn't leak out of your head." Okay that one was new, but Raphael followed the directions focusing on the image of his own shell around his mind. He knew he got it when Michelangelo sighed. "Good now we can talk,"

"Okay so what did I just do?" Raphael asked.

Michelangelo folded himself down onto the floor of the porch. "You just put protections around your feelings so hopefully Leo can't feel us out here."

"Leo can't–" Raphael let that implication settle in and it didn't go down well. "When the shell did he start doing that?"

"About when he got back here," Michelangelo said. "I mean I know when I'm trying to do the ocean thing, I'm good, but Leo's not even thinking about it and he's doing it."

_Okay Mikey's brain is definitely in the ocean, I can't understand what he's saying._ Out loud Raphael said. "Wait a minute you _know_ what's happened to Leo?"

"No not really," Michelangelo said with a shrug, "but I know what's it's done to him."

"Start talking Mikey," Raphael growled.

Michelangelo sighed. Raphael could practically hear the wheels in his brother's head turning trying to figure out what to say.

Michelangelo dragged Raphael to an outdoor fire pit where a nice little pile of soot lay for drawing. "Okay," Michelangelo said picking up a twig. "This is where my brain was when I met Lillian when I was five," he drew an M5 on the ground. "And I think this is me now." He drew another M in the soot a foot away and drew a line between them. "So when you guys first met Lil, you started here," he put an X just in front of the M5. "Now right now I think Don's about here," He drew a D three inches from the M. "Don understands the whole mermaid thing but he can't use his connection to the ocean. You're usually over here," The R he drew looked way too close to the X but Raphael didn't argue. Then Michelangelo drew an R2 closer to the D. "But right now I think you're so freaked out about Leo you're over here."

Raphael seemed to understand what his brother tried to say. "We move along that line at times don't we." When Michelangelo nodded firmly Raphael took courage. "Okay up until today where was Leo?"

To his surprise Michelangelo drew the L between his original R and the X. Before Raphael could ask he said, "And the only Reason Leo's been stuck there is because he won't relax and move through his feelings. When Benten taught me she told me you have to move through all the feelings to get over here." He pointed to his own current mark.

Raphael nodded. "Now where's Leo," Somehow he wasn't surprised when Michelangelo drew his L2 a good six inches away from the M.

"He's passed me somehow Raph. I don't know what that Blue did to him but he's hearing all sorts of stuff now, I know I can't. I've been dying to ask Benten about it."

"And I shall answer if I can," She said startling both turtles. She looked down at the drawing and smiled. "A very good analogy little brother."

"Benten," Raphael said worriedly. "What's this blue whale done to Leo's mind? It's like he's not all there anymore."

Benten smiled down at Raphael. "Do not fear Raphael. I have seen this before in many of my people after they have spoken to a great whale. It will take several days for him to process the quantity of information within his mind. After a while he will begin to act more normal, but remember the whales have taught him. He will be a bit different just as you know you felt different after you met my people."

Raphael sighed. "So all we can do is watch and keep an eye on him."

"Even though I know waiting is one thing you most hate to do I am afraid so little brother," Benten said. She drew Raphael into a hug and Raphael just let go and reveled in that wonderful feeling of being safe, protected, and loved.

Michelangelo snickered and when he managed to catch Raphael's eye he took his stick and drew a line from the R2 mark in the soot back to the original R position.

"Don't care," Raphael muttered holding on to the feeling for a little longer.

Coming Soon Chapter 11: **Chapter 11 A few Tests **

"Hey maybe we can arrange with Master Splinter for you guys to come visit and we'll do a full all out ninja demo!" Michelangelo said.

" I would greatly enjoy that," Benten said.

"We'll have to set it up when we get home," Leonardo said.

both Raphael and Donatello just up and stared, for a second before pulling themselves together. Michelangelo rescued the situation by saying. "I bet now your starving. Hey Kristi, you got any eggs in this place I make great omelets!"

"I think so, but the only thing we have to fill with them is more smoked salmon." Kristi said.

"No problem! I love fish." Michelangelo said happily.

"Is there any kind of food you don't love?" Leonardo asked giving his brother a friendly shove. Laughing Michelangelo led the others back into the building leaving

Donatello and Raphael outside.

"Did that just creep you out as much as it did me?" Raphael said without taking his eyes off of the door.

"What that Leo just agreed to invite Benten to the lair? Yeah, pretty much."


	12. Chapter 12

**Orca Song: **

**By Kellie Fay **

Disclaimer:

TMNT belong to Nickolodean I think and I hope their taking good care of the guys.

As always Reviews make me feel better about sharing my work.

**Chapter 11 A few Tests **

A few hours later in desperate need to do something Raphael went outside and began a series of katas. When he finished his fourth one, to his surprise, he heard Leonardo say "nice,"

He spun around to see Leonardo leaning against the doorway. "Got bored listening to the science lecture?" he asked.

"I was thinking," Leonardo said calmly. Raphael could tell that something still distracted Leonardo, and his mind was still filled with other things.

_I wonder how distracted Leo is, and how far I can push him right now?_ "I'm almost kinda missing our morning lesson right now," he admitted _Okay maybe not really but I had to think of something._ "Wanna go for a little one on one?"

Leonardo broke into a smile. Raphael did as well Leonardo knew a challenge when he heard one. "Sure I'm up for it," Leonardo drew his katana.

"Okay then," Raphael said getting into ready position. "One,"

"Two,"

"GO!"

Much to Raphael's annoyance Leonardo seemed to be keeping up with him just fine, and he still had that weird distracted look in his eyes. _Okay then I'll just have to push a little harder._ Raphael picked up the pace of his attacks.

"Oh hell!" Kristi looking for the pair saw them fighting full out on each other. "Rob! You're friends are going at each other!" That drew the rest of the team outside. When Michelangelo and Donatello saw the style and intensity of the battle they both relaxed.

"It's okay," Donatello said calmly. "They're just sparing."

"Just?" Kristi echoed shocked.

"Wow," Agnes said amazed.

"Just keep out of their way," Donatello warned. "When Leo and Raph go at each other it can get a little intense." Then he looked at Michelangelo and said, "betcha Raph started this one."

"No contest dude," Michelangelo answered with a grin. "What level do you think they're on?"

"Three," Donatello said, then after a moment "Make that five."

"What's with the numbers?" Rob asked.

Benten smiled. "It is a way Donatello gages the intensity of their workout based on the skills they are employing, and their current speed."

"The scale goes from one to ten," Donatello explained further. "But once they're at a ten, they'll stay there for the rest of the match. And there they go to seven."

Michelangelo shook his head. "Uh uh Don, Raph tapped Leo's shell, they're at nine!"

Donatello sighed. "Only Leo and Raph could make me tag an eleven on a scale of one to ten."

"What happens if they hit a twelve?" Agnes asked.

"I don't know," Rob said, "But if they hit a thirteen I'll need my mutant med kit and more bandages."

"Agreed," Donatello said in almost a growl.

Fortunately no one ever found out if they were going to make a thirteen, for in a single move Leonardo tripped up Raphael, spinning him until he landed flat on his plastron. Leonardo did a back flip landing one foot lightly on his carapace and placed both of his katana on either side of his foot. "Gotcha!" He announced with a grin.

Raphael's expression went quickly from _how the shell did he do that?_ To a half hearted laugh. "Pretty good workout Leo."

"Yeah you too, Raph," Leo helped Raphael to his feet, then he looked up brightly at the others. "Enjoy the show?" He asked.

"Very impressive both of you," Benten said with a smile. "When your brothers visit my temple I am rarely treated to such quality entertainment."

"Hey maybe we can arrange with Master Splinter for you guys to come visit and we'll do a full all out ninja demo!" Michelangelo said.

" I would greatly enjoy that," Benten said.

"We'll have to set it up when we get home," Leonardo said.

Both Raphael and Donatello just up and stared, for a second before pulling themselves together. Michelangelo rescued the situation by saying. "I bet now your starving. Hey Kristi, you got any eggs in this place I make great omelets!"

"I think so, but the only thing we have to fill with them is more smoked salmon." Kristi said.

"No problem! I love fish." Michelangelo said happily.

"Is there any kind of food you don't love?" Leonardo asked giving his brother a friendly shove. Laughing Michelangelo led the others back into the building leaving

Donatello and Raphael outside.

"Did that just creep you out as much as it did me?" Raphael said without taking his eyes off of the door.

"What that Leo just agreed to invite Benten to the lair? Yeah, pretty much." Then Donatello asked, "So how did your little test go?"

Raphael smiled and relaxed a bit. "Can't put anything past you can I? Do the others know?"

"Rob and Kristi probably not, Benten not sure, but I'm sure Mikey knew what you were doing. I'm sure he wants to know later too."

Raphael took in a deep breath. "Do you know Leo didn't really start paying attention until I kicked it up to level six?"

Donatello blinked. "Level six?"

Raphael frowned thinking. "Well he was giving me more and more of his focus before that, but something else was still in his head until I kicked it up that high. Then after I hit level nine he did something weird."

"Aside of forcing me to make an eleven, and a twelve on a ten scale level?" Donatello asked.

Raphael glared at him for a moment then settled back into thought. "That just makes me worry more. After I hit nine with him, he..."Raphael's frown deepened trying to find the right words. "Well it was like he suddenly knew what I was gonna do before I did it."

"Do you think he could read your mind?" Donatello asked. "You know how well he reads our bodies."

"I know he reads my body, but this was different," Raphael insisted. "I'm not even sure if he was reading my mind, cuz I wasn't thinking that far ahead."

"I have a feeling that this experience has changed Leo in a lot of ways," Donatello said speculatively. "I'm not even sure Leo knows how much yet."

"Then I'm going to find out." Raphael said.

Very quietly Raphael began to watch Leonardo. At every opportunity Raphael tested Leonardo's ability to pay attention to stuff. At one point Michelangelo sat in the back of the research center helping Agnes bead necklaces. He called out. "Hey Raph can you toss me that chord over there?"

Leonardo stood with Donatello and the others listening to them debate the rate of their cell recovery or something. Their group stood between Raphael and Michelangelo and Agnes. Suddenly a wicked idea came to him. Picking up the ball of chord, Raphael pitched it just so that it hit the lights over head and would drop on to Leonardo.

Without even looking up from Donatello's lecture, Leonardo popped the ball just when it got into range over to Michelangelo who caught it. "Watch your aim Raph," he said absently and just went back to listening.

Michelangelo must have sensed or somehow in his inexplicable way known what Raphael thought, because twice Michelangelo managed to slip the beads near Leonardo's feet hoping to get Leonardo to step on them. Each Time Leonardo simply pushed the bead with his toe back to his brother. "Mike be careful."

Even Donatello got in on the, 'how much attention is Leo really paying to his surroundings' game, because at one point during the afternoon he said. "Hey Leo can you hand me that simulation disk on cytokine cell reproduction."

Raphael could not help but notice the five disks laying on the desk were only labeled with numbers, but when Leonardo picked up disk number three and handed it to Donatello he didn't ask for a second one. "Thanks Leo," Donatello said.

Later Raphael watched from the research center while Leonardo meditated out by the docks near the water. Donatello and Michelangelo discussed the results of their test.

"Man it's like he's got eyes in the back of his head now. Leo's noticing everything." Michelangelo complained.

"It wouldn't bother me half as much if he actually looked like he was watching everything," Raphael said, "But that creepy 'out to lunch' look he's got drives me nuts."

"I wonder..." Michelangelo said whispering to himself. Before Donatello or Raphael could ask him what he thought, Michelangelo closed his eyes . A second later Raphael felt some strange energy surrounding his brother.

"What the shell?" Raphael almost reached out to touch Michelangelo to shake him out of it, but Donatello stopped him. "Wait Raph, Mikey's just tapping into the ocean song. He's fine."

Raphael relaxed, but not much. He knew in general terms what Don meant by the oceans song . It had to do with the mystical energies of the ocean and the sentient creatures in it. Mermaids were a living breathing incarnation of this energy. That's why all ocean creatures or creatures of aquatic descent loved and protected mermaids, they were in a sense a part of themselves. Michelangelo, from age seven to ten would receive hidden visits from Lillian, a mermaid who rescued Donatello during an accident and healed himself and Leonardo of a sewage infection. From age ten to the present Michelangelo would secretly sneak out of the lair and visit their temple and learn from Lillian, and Benten, the leader of the mermaids in New York. Raphael didn't know exactly what these mermaids taught his crazy younger brother, but he knew when Michelangelo tapped into that hidden power of the oceans he could do all sorts of things, like speaking to sea creatures, and reading their minds. They all knew he could do this, but Michelangelo very rarely demonstrated these skills in front of them. It made all three of them nervous that there were aspects to Michelangelo they just didn't know about.

"He's still got a lot on his mind," Michelangelo said still tapping into the ocean. "Remember You said that when he woke up he said it was all too much? He's trying to sort it all out, but it's gonna take some time."

"Then we'd best leave him be for a while." Donatello advised.

Raphael nodded. He hated waiting, but he knew his brothers were right.

Two days later the five of them began preparing to leave. Benten chose to stay behind, she and Agnes needed to meet with the girl's matriarch Margaret, to discuss the infection and the cure that they found. Agnes' orca friends were going to make the journey with them.

"Are you sure you don't want us to wait for you?" Michelangelo asked picking up his camping gear. "We could just go below with you and fly back home later."

Raphael couldn't help but glance over at Leonardo the moment Michelangelo brought it up, but Leonardo was talking quietly with Donatello, Rob and Kristi. Raphael guessed that Leonardo clearly heard the conversation he just didn't care. Those were the only things he still did that worried Raphael. He still possessed this hyper awareness of everything around him while appearing lost in thought. He still spent a great deal of time meditating, or simply lost in thought, and he had yet to flinch or frown at either Benten or Agnes. For some reason mermaids no longer made Leonardo nervous.

"It is not necessary little brother," Benten reassured him. "I can return home through one of our portholes, and besides your friend Doctor Thomas needs to return to his clinic soon."

"Yeah," Rob said from his own conversation. "My buddy Tom has been covering for me for the past week, but I owe him big time right now."

"Sorry about that," Leonardo added.

"I'll see if I can help you pay that debt," Kristi said. "How many dinners, fishing trips, and bottles of scotch are you in for?"

"He told me he's running a tab," Rob said sighing. "Man, I hate fishing!"

"How about we spilt the cost and we send him fishing with me up here?" Kristi asked.

Rob smiled. "Now I remember why I partnered with you when we were in grad school," He laughed. "You were always the one with the ideas."

Leonardo bowed to Kristi. "Thank you for your help"

"I should be thanking you guys," Kristi said with a laugh. "You saved all the animals."

"Here," Agnes said handing Leonardo a box with an ornate inuit drawing of an orca on it. "Moonlight wanted me to give you guys these." Inside the box were four of the orca necklaces like the ones Rob, Agnes, and Kristi wore. "Moonlight said you should keep one at your place, but the other three should be spread out. They really want to know about the world outside of the ocean."

"As long as they don't use them as a paging system again," Donatello said sternly. "That wasn't exactly a pleasant experience."

"Yeah tell me about it," Michelangelo said with a giggle, "And this time we know Leo will hear it too."

Leonardo looked at Michelangelo but said nothing.

"Don't worry," Agnes said with a hint of a blush. "They aren't going to call in force like that again. They promised. They'll go through channels next time."

"Good," Raphael said. "Cuz if your buddies try to give us a headache again Aggie, I'm dropping every one of those necklaces Into the Hudson."

"Thank you again," Leonardo told Kristi.

"Just take care of that knucklehead for me," Kristi said smiling at Rob.

"Will do," Donatello said, "just remember we were never here."

"Yeah yeah, Kristi sighed. "All the animals got better on their own. I'll see if I can get a news team to say it's a miracle."

"Just call us the miracle makers!" Michelangelo teased. "Hey Rob, you good to go? The meter on Donnie's space ship is running!"

"I'm coming! Bye Kristi!"

"By Rob," Kristi said. She watched the veterinarian and his four mutant turtle friends leave heading back out into the woods vanishing from sight.

"Will wonders ever cease?" She muttered to herself.

Coming Soon Chapter 12 : Home Again

Raphael couldn't help but suspect that Leonardo only told them half the story. He couldn't resist the urge to prod Leonardo a little bit more. "You know Benten said that meeting a baleen whale was like meeting a master sensei." He said waiting for Leonardo's reaction.

For a moment Leonardo closed his eyes and a small smile crossed his face. "Yeah you could say that," he said.

Splinter perked his ears obviously curious but he didn't press the issue. Michelangelo decided not to be so patient. "Come on Leo, we all know that blue whale told you loads of stuff. Benten said they were keepers of knowledge. You gotta tell us what he told you."

Leonardo opened his eyes, but Raphael could see the distance in them. "He told me a lot of things," Leonardo said dreamily. "But he didn't say it in words. I...I don't know how to tell you what he told me."

Donatello glared at his two brothers and said, "It's okay, Leo. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

Leonardo shook his head no. "I...I want to Don, I just don't know how to. "


	13. Chapter 13

**Orca Song**

**By Kellie Fay **

**Disclaimer** the TMNT belong to Nickelodeon *sigh* may they take good care of them.

Well this is the end. I'm sorry that most people didn't like this one. I usually get better feedback.

**Chapter 12 Home again. **

The moment they set food into the lair, Michelangelo simply couldn't resist calling out in a fake Cuban accent. "Lucy, we're home!"

Instantly Splinter came into the main room from his privet chamber. "My sons! You have returned! How is Donatello?"

"I'm fine," Donatello said blushing at his father's concern. "Everything is all right now."

"Everything is totally wicked!" Michelangelo added happily. "You're not gonna believe what we did Sensei!"

Splinter eyed his sons surprised and pleased. "Very well then you must tell me all about it over dinner."

"Yes!" Raphael said eagerly. "I'm desperate for some real food. If I had to look at one more piece of fish I was gonna go out hunting on my own."

"Uh huh, Raph," Donatello teased. "No hunting in a wildlife refuge."

"Pizza tastes better than raw caribou meat anyway," Michelangelo added.

At dinner each turtle told their story. Donatello told them how he helped the sea otters. Michelangelo told how he played with the seals and sea lions and how he cuddled the sick polar bear cubs. Raphael proudly told them how he sparred with a huge bull walrus and earned from him the right to touch him.

Leonardo told the others of his journey out to the open sea and his encounter with the great baleen whales, but Raphael couldn't help but suspect that Leonardo only told them half the story. He couldn't resist the urge to prod Leonardo a little bit more. "You know Benten said that meeting a baleen whale was like meeting a master sensei." He said waiting for Leonardo's reaction.

For a moment Leonardo closed his eyes, and a small smile crossed his face. "Yeah you could say that," he said.

Splinter perked his ears obviously curious but he didn't press the issue. Michelangelo decided not to be so patient. "Come on Leo, we all know that blue whale told you loads of stuff. Benten said they were keepers of knowledge. You gotta tell us what he told you."

Leonardo opened his eyes, but Raphael could see the distance in them. "He told me a lot of things," Leonardo said dreamily. "But he didn't say it in words. I...I don't know how to tell you what he told me."

Doantello glared at his two brothers and said, "It's okay, Leo. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

Leonardo shook his head no. "I...I want to Don, I just don't know how to. "

Raphael sighed and said, "Give it time Leo. Benten said that she's still stewing over stuff the whales told her when she first met them."

Leonardo smiled looking up at his brothers. "At least I'm not the only one."

Later Raphael found Leonardo up on the top of Belivideir Castle staring out at the park. Before Raphael could say anything Leonardo said, "I'm fine Raph,"

"You know doing that just creeps me out more," Raphael said annoyed. "You look like you're a million miles away, and yet you know when I'm watching you."

"Sorry," Leonardo said. "It's fading a little. It only seems to happen now when I think about the whales."

"What happens," Raphael asked.

Leonardo's eyes grew distant again. "I can feel everything, Raph, everyone around me, everyone in the park. Remember when you and Benten tried to explain the ocean's song to me? You said it kind of felt like The Force. I can feel that now, but it's not just sea creatures, it's everything."

Later Raphael told this to Donatello and Michelangelo, both of them got it right away. "Oh! I get it. Now he can hear everything. He's a little lost in it. He doesn't know where he fits in everything." Michelangelo said sagely.

"So why didn't that blue whale tell him?" Raphael asked.

Michelangelo sighed exasperated. "Raph, no one can tell you where you fit into the universal cosmos. You have to figure it out for yourself."

"And he's having trouble controlling that part of the song. We only hear the ocean, from what you're telling us he might be hearing all life on this planet. He's probably so overwhelmed by his experience with the blue whale, and it's not letting him figure it out." Donatello said speculatively.

Suddenly a big grin spread over Michelangelo's face. "Hey I've got an idea!" Before either brother could ask, Michelangelo said rapidly in a single breath, "I gotta go below for a couple of hours. Don't wait dinner for me, but I promise I won't be out all night. See you later bye!"

Before Raphael or Donatello could tell him to stop and say that all again slowly Michelangelo jumped up and ran out of the lair.

"Mikey has an idea," Donatello said his voice trembling a little. Whether it was from fear or laughter Raphael couldn't tell. Heck he didn't know if he felt gleeful or terrified of the idea himself.

"Ya think we should warn Leo?" He asked Donatello.

"I'm not sure why, but I can't shake the feeling that we should let this play itself out." Donatello answered. The twinkle in his eyes told Raphael that Michelangelo's mischievousness did indeed infect Donatello.

Leonardo was definitely in for it.

Michelangelo made it back to the lair in time for evening practice. Raphael wanted to ask him about his plan, but when practice finished Michelangelo managed to get Splinter's ear and both disappeared into the aged rat's room. Later he tried to confront Michelangelo, but to his surprise this hyper over eager little brother wouldn't talk.

"Raph Leo's been real sensitive to our feelings lately, and you project like a Rolling Stones concert. Let me do my thing for now. Otherwise, you might spoil the surprise."

Donatello later gave him the same advise when he complained while helping Donatello working on the Shell Cycle. "Raph leave it be for now. Mikey's treating this like an ambush, and you know why Mikey's ambushes nearly always work? Because the same turtle who will burn his mouth on dinner because he can't wait for it to cool, and got punished at seven because he couldn't wait for Christmas and snuck into Splinter's room to find his presents, this same turtle will wait from now until the next century for a trap to play out."

Raphael knew that Donatello was right. Raphael waited, and the next week he knew when Michelangelo's trap sprung. Splinter decided that all four of them needed to meditate on their experience in Alaska. Raphael didn't know about himself, but every time he turned around it seemed that he found Leonardo meditating. So when Splinter sat all four of them down for a few hours of mediation he decided not to complain.

Raphael relaxed and began to focus on his sparing match with the great bull walrus. He didn't know exactly when he began to hear it, but after a while he became aware of a presence calling to him. _Mikey?_ Raphael called realizing that his brother tickled at the edges of his awareness.

_It's me Raph,_ Michelangelo's infectious sunny disposition sailed through him giggling while he did so. _Just go with the flow and everything will be cool bro._

Raphael gave in easily. Michelangelo's sending filled his mind with thoughts of the ocean calming him. Somehow without understanding Raphael knew that Michelangelo wanted them all together on the spirit plane and he needed to gather them one by one.

Raphael next felt Donatello join the flow. Like always questions filled Donatello's thoughts. _Raph? Mikey? Is this real? Am I dreaming? Is this sea magic?_

_Chill Donnie. Just wait for it, you'll like it!_ Michelangelo sent back. A moment later Raphael felt Splinter join them, but the feeling there told Raphael that their sensei knew exactly what Michelangelo was up to.

_Okay,_ Michelangelo's sending felt excited and anticipating. _Showtime!_

With one heart, one mind, and one purpose, Michelangelo led the four of them and found Leonardo's mind.

_What?_ Leonardo began, but he recognized the feel of his family's minds and simply relaxed and joined with them.

Without using words at all, Michelangelo told Leonardo what they could do. Together they could help him figure out puzzles the blue whale left within his mind. He just had to open up and share his experience with his family.

With the minds of his family moving through his own he instantly flashed back to the thoughts of the whales, and the meanings of their songs. Without hesitation Leonardo relaxed, focused, and shared his memories with his family.

To his surprise Michelangelo understood the feeling of being lost in this huge web of life. Then he showed Leonardo that they couldn't get lost because all creatures moved through the web. No one stayed in one place. Maybe because mermaids taught him, but Michelangelo showed him that they should move through life accepting and dealing with what life threw at them. Michelangelo reminded him of the cat Princess. She told them once in a dream that when the Shredder caused the Utrom ship to crash causing them to build the transmat and the mutagen they came into being. They were destined to counter him.

_But that's not everything_ Michelangelo told them all. _If we're here that means we're meant to be here. There's a lot of darkness out there. It's up to all creatures of good will to counter it. Remember what the whales told you. The important things are; eat, live, love, play, learn, do good._

Leonardo felt the love and acceptance of his family's minds. Michelangelo somehow again without words showed him how to turn off this 'oneness' with all living things. It felt very similar to how he managed to turn the ocean's song on and off whenever he wanted, and the advantages of being able to do so. Suddenly a lot of what Michelangelo kept hidden from his family in regards to the mermaids made sense. He still possessed this childlike 'Life is a Party' attitude, but beneath that there was a philosophy, he learned from the mermaids that he kept hidden from everyone around him, and displayed only when necessary.

_Eat, live, love, play, learn, do good._

When they came out of trance Leonardo couldn't help but look at his brother quizzically. There were layers to his brother's personality that he could have never imagined. Michelangelo just smiled back with his 'cat that ate the canary' grin. Donatello and Raphael both opened their eyes and also looked at Michelangelo in puzzlement.

"How did you do that?" Donatello asked puzzled.

Michelangelo shrugged, still smiling. "It's sort of something mermaids do when they sing together. They can hear everyone thinking at once, and everyone contributes what they know."

"That's kind of what the whales do to," Leonardo admitted. "I could hear all of them at once."

Michelangelo nodded. "Yeah it's kind of overwhelming if you're not used to it, and it took a good three years for me to catch onto it. That blue dumped it in your head all in one night."

_That's why Mikey understood so well what I needed,_ Leonardo thought to himself. Leonardo smiled at his crazy younger brother and said. "In that case thanks Mikey, I needed that."

"Hey that's what I'm for!" Michelangelo said with a chuckle. "Hey what do you say we call out for dinner. There is this new Tai place in the village I'm just dying to try?"

Leonardo still couldn't figure out how Michelangelo could talk about philosophy one second and then complain about his stomach the next. Later after dinner Raphael found him contemplating his brother over a cup of tea. "Leo?"

Leonardo blinked and looked up at Raphael. He knew that lately something he did worried Raphael, but for some reason when he blinked and looked up Raphael just relaxed. "Yeah Raph?"

"You didn't hear me coming this time?" Raphael asked. Leonardo wondered about the question but he just shrugged in answer.

"I wasn't thinking about them right now. I was thinking about Mikey. He hides a lot of stuff from us about what the mermaids teach him."

Raphael chuckled. "You just figured that out? Man you have been out of it. Either that or it's coming to you now because you can think about Benten now without getting your nerves in a bunch."

At least Raphael chose not to come out and say he feared Benten, and he really didn't, not anymore. "That's one thing the whales did show me," He said quietly. "Where Benten and her people fit in everything. I mean I knew before but with them I could feel it. It made a difference."

Raphael looked at him quizzically. "You mean that those whales could show you where Benten fit into everything, and they couldn't show you where you fit?"

He never told his brother's that in words, but for some reason having Raphael verbalize it didn't surprise him. "I guess they couldn't. I had to find it for myself. Mikey just showed me where you guys fit, and then it kind of made sense, like fitting in the last piece of a puzzle."

"I know Leo I was there remember?" Raphael tapped the side of his head and chuckled. "I know he went down to the temple last week. I guess he needed a few pointers from the girls on how to talk to us the way the whales talked to you."

Leonardo laughed. "I guess we qualify as our own little pod right?"

"Actually the correct term is bale of turtles," Donatello said coming into the kitchen. He poured himself a cup of coffee. While both brothers looked at him wondering why he even knew that. "What?" Donatello asked while they stared. "I found it once on an internet site."

Both Leonardo and Raphael just laughed. "Speaking of bales of turtles and pods of whales," Leonardo said with a smile, "There's something I'd like to do before we split those necklaces up."

"What do you have in mind Leo?" Raphael asked.

Leonardo just smiled. "Go get Mikey. He'll want to be in on this too"

Twenty minutes later the four turtles stood before the box of four necklaces. "Okay guys," Leonardo said smiling. "Pick a whale."

Michelangelo ran his fingers over the whale beads. "Hey this one is Shadow!" He said snatching it up and fastening it on.

"Is Lightning in here too?" Donatello asked. "I can't do that as well as you can Mikey," Michelangelo obliged his brother by running his fingers along the remaining three necklaces and selecting one for him. "This is her," he said. Then pointing to a third, "Hey Raph that one is Midnight,"

"Great!" Raphael said grabbing the necklace up. "I didn't know they let the males do this too!"

"Sure why not?" Michelangelo said. "Just because the guys aren't in charge doesn't mean they can't have fun too."

Leonardo picked up the last necklace. He relaxed and opened his mind to the necklace and found a small surprise within. "Mikey this isn't the two whales I met. It almost feels like a child."

Michelangelo rubbed the bead with his fingers. "Hey yeah! It's New Moon, Moonlight's kid! She's about three years old. I guess Moonlight thought this would be good for her."

"I'll bet Rob's necklace is keyed to Moonlight," Donatello said. "If she's the matriarch of her pod she'd be the one to go out first."

Leonardo nodded. "We'll have to remember to pay her a visit the next time we go see Rob. Are we ready?" When his brothers nodded eagerly, Leonardo said. "Well then lets give our friends a tour of New York." Each sporting one of the four orca necklaces the ninja turtles left their lair to show their new friends their home.

The End:


End file.
